Death of the Wrong Boy
by Nigelcat1
Summary: This is my WBWL story, hopefully with a new twist. Completed.
1. Chapter 1 - A Disasterous Mistake

DEATH OF THE WRONG BOY

J K Rowling owns all the rights to the books and the amazing characters she created. I write only to satisfy my imagination and use my creativity and make no money from my writings.

Chapter 1 – A Disastrous Mistake

James Sirius Potter was the Boy-Who-Lived. He had defeated the most evil Dark Lord in centuries when he had only been a mere babe of 15 months. His magic had been so powerful that not only had he survived the killing curse – the first known person to do so – but his powerful magic had reflected it back on Voldemort and had actually disintegrated his body. All that was left of the Dark Lord was his robes and his wand.

According to a prophecy, heard only by Albus Dumbledore, the Leader of the Light (okay someone else heard it – the dastardly Death Eater who had heard half the prophecy before being thrown out but who nevertheless ran back and told Voldemort what he had heard) Voldemort would be defeated and marked as an equal by a boy born at the end of July. James Sirius Potter was born on July 31, 1980 and now had a vee-shaped scar on his check, no doubt caused by his magic deflecting the killing curse

Albus Dumbledore had proclaimed the boy their savior mere moments after arriving at the Potters' temporary home in Godric's Hallow. Peter Pettigrew, the friend of the Potters, had been babysitting when Voldemort had entered and killed Peter first then went upstairs to kill the boy of the prophecy. Instead the Dark Lord had met his demise.

The Potters had been at an Order of the Phoenix meeting when the alarms on the wards of the house went off and the entire Order had followed the anxious parents led by Albus Dumbledore. As the house was under the Fidelius, a special port key was created by Dumbledore – who was the secret keeper – and everyone went to defend the Potters' home.

It was a mystery how Voldemort had found out the secret. As always, Dumbledore had come up with an explanation. He had always written the address for the Potter residence on a scrap of paper which he kept in the desk in his office. There were several people who needed to know the secret, so Dumbledore would show them the paper, had them memorize it and then he put the paper back in his desk. Apparently, the paper had disappeared from his desk when he went to check on a hunch he had had, thus someone must have stolen it and given the information to Voldemort.

There must be a traitor in the Order because some people knew that Dumbledore kept the paper in his desk and either they let it slip by accident or had purposely stolen it. How the traitor got into Dumbledore's secure office, got passed the notice of the portraits of the former Headmasters and then sent it to Voldemort…well Dumbledore didn't explain it as after all, Voldemort was dead and the Potters could come out of hiding now. For some strange reason, there was no search for the possible traitor.

With the death of the Dark Lord, Magical Britain went into a frenzy of celebrations. James Sirius Potter was proclaimed a hero and actually became the youngest person in history to receive an Order of Merlin. Granted, it was only a third-class award due solely to his youth. He also got his own chocolate frog card.

His parents also became instant celebrities. Eventually Lily Evans Potter, the mother of the Boy-Who-Lived, wrote several books about the Potter family and how they were raising the young hero "to be the best wizard since Merlin." They also saw to a series of adventure books starring "Jamie" and his _**probable**_ future adventures. There were toys, games, action figures, coloring books, etc. involving the Boy-Who-Lived.

The Potters made a nice income from the books and toys, which they placed in a special account for Jamie. Any cash presents Jamie received from grateful people and admirers also went into this account. He also received many presents from his fan base not only on his birthday and Christmas, but on October 31st, the anniversary of his defeat of Voldemort.

Since the Godric's Hallow house had been destroyed, the Potters moved back into The Pottery, the Potter ancestral home. The home had been sealed on the death of James' father Charlus. James had not been able to claim the Potter lordship upon his father's death due to being in hiding from Voldemort. At least that was the excuse told to everybody.

What was not generally known was that James Potter had been basically disinherited by his father. He was allowed to live in all the Potter residences, many of which were self-supporting or rented out, the rents of which he would use for upkeep of the properties and for taxes. He had a yearly allowance of 25,000 galleons besides, which was a tidy sum of money. He also was an Auror and derived an income from that except when he had to go into hiding.

Other than these niceties, the main Potter fortune was entailed to the next Potter who proved worthy of being Lord Potter. The reason for this was that Charlus Potter knew his only son was…. well he was not the proper material for a Potter Lord.

Charlus had blamed himself and his wife for spoiling their only child and not raising him properly. Well they had tried, but James just didn't have an interest in performing the duties and responsibilities of Lord Potter. Although he learned the things that interested him, such as Pureblood etiquette, the laws which were of benefit to a Pureblood and all the entitlements and privileges which went with it, he had no interest in learning estate management, financial management and especially the position on the Wizengamot he would be obligated to take once he became of age.

No, James wanted to have fun. During school he only applied himself in his studies which interested him, he lived to play pranks and, once he hit puberty, the pursuit of the female sex for his own personal enjoyment. He never thought about the consequences of his actions and Dumbledore always just smiled on his antics and let him get away with just about anything short of murder.

Charlus Potter knew just what a power-hungry and manipulative individual the real Albus Dumbledore was. He liked to cultivate and groom certain well-placed students, which while not unusual especially in the political arena, did not set well with Charlus Potter. No, Dumbledore knew that James was too indifferent and lazy to actually think about things, especially things which he considered boring. Therefore, James would follow Dumbledore blindly and be used by him shamelessly and not know it was happening.

That was exactly what happened. Dumbledore had formed his own organization to combat the threat of Voldemort, the Order of the Phoenix. Naturally he was in charge and ruled with an inefficient and iron hand. James Potter was one of his most ardent and faithful followers. He got to be a dashing hero, despite his already being an Auror, which Charlus also did not approve of, but that was James and he wasn't going to change.

When James had graduated from Hogwarts, he was given a yearly allowance of 25,000 galleons with the understanding that this would tide him over until he had found a career or for him to do further study to gain a mastery or to do a world tour to learn other magics not taught in Britain. When he began training as an Auror, he received a small stipend from the Ministry so the allowance enabled him to get his own bachelor pad and live in the style he was accustomed to.

James and Sirius Black moved in together, were training as Aurors and doing a lot of wild partying. Charlus despaired further when he heard about his son's lifestyle, and James' behavior only served to confirm Charlus' worst fears.

Although Dorea, James' mother and Charlus' wife, had definitely not approved of James wanting to marry a Mud…Muggleborn, even she had to agree that the girl was not only intelligent, sensible and more magically powerful than most of the Pureblood girls James could marry, but she just might be the saving grace for their son.

Lily did do James a world of good and he matured enough to convince her to marry him, but he still had no inclination (or the ability) to become a competent lord. Charlus knew that James was contributing a lot of his money to Dumbledore's Order and it had been brought to Charlus' attention from a very reliable source that should Charlus die and James inherit the estate, he would probably be the sole contributor to the group and more than likely, between the Order and James' spending habits, the vast Potter fortune would be squandered before any heir of James' became of age.

That was why Charlus had taken the steps he had concerning the Potter estate. When it was discovered that Lily would be giving birth to twins, Charlus established individual trust funds with certain conditions to protect the money for both boys and even to provide a fund should James die for the boys' maintenance. This was not only for the boys' benefits, but to save the Potter fortune from James and Dumbledore.

It was a good thing that Charlus had taken such precautions as shortly after he had made a new will and all necessary arrangements, both he and Dorea died suddenly both being killed in a Death Eater attack while at a meeting with friends.

James had been shocked about his father's will and Dumbledore had been angry as he had planned to use The Pottery as the headquarters for the Order as well as getting James to finance everything. Everything was airtight and unbreakable on pain of total disinheritance so Dumbledore's plans were thwarted despite his many connections.

That was one of the many reasons the Potters used the fame of their son to acquire wealth. James still just had the G25,000 a year and his Auror salary and he had been seriously considering quitting to spend all of his time raising his wonderful son.

Besides, he really didn't like working as an Auror because of all the paperwork and the boredom as with Voldemort being dead and Death Eaters either in prison or "Imperiused" all the Aurors had to do were boring things like keeping the peace and guarding the Minister of Magic.

His laziness resurfaced and although he could still use his vote in the Wizengamot, he didn't like attending the meetings as they were boring, so he just let Dumbledore use his vote for whatever laws he wanted passed.

When Sirius Black's father died and he became Lord Black, he did the same thing concerning his voting privileges. He still was an Auror but due to his rank and position, he only worked part time and actually was allowed to choose his assignments. He convinced James to do the same so technically "James was an Auror" but still had time for fun and leisure and to raise and spoil Jamie.

Yes, life was good for the Potters, or at least James, Jamie and Lily Potter.

It hadn't been very well known to the world, but Jamie was not an only child. He wasn't even the eldest son. The eldest Potter son was his twin, Hadrian or "Harry" who although he too survived that dreadful night and survived with a lightning bolt scar on his forehead, Dumbledore had proclaimed Jamie as the defeater of Voldemort and Harry just a survivor.

Jamie had been chosen because of the "V" shaped mark on his cheek and the fact that he was screaming at the top of his lungs. Little Harry had been unconscious and almost presumed dead, until Sirius had rushed over to see if his godson was alive.

Harry was unconscious because his magic had allowed the curse to bounce off of him and hit Voldemort. A small explosion was caused by the powerful magic thus causing the roof to start falling in and it had been a sliver of wood which had caused Jamie's scar. Since Jamie's screaming was seen as his being strong and healthy, it was assumed that not only had he defeated Voldemort, he had probably saved his brother.

Oh well, so much for the well-known fact that Albus Dumbledore was never wrong.


	2. Chapter 2 - Life in the Lonely Lane

J K Rowling owns all the rights to the books and the amazing characters she created. I write only to satisfy my imagination and use my creativity and make no money from my writings.

Note: Sorry but I forgot to add a message to the first chapter. Peeves was "compromised" by Windows 10 who basically wiped out my current system (without my permission) and messed up my documents. I couldn't submit a new document or chapters because I uninstalled #10 and then found out I lost the capability to edit, etc. because of the wipeout. This is an "experiment" document to see how things are working. It is almost finished and I will add the remaining chapters after I finish the story. Thank you for your patience.

Chapter 2 – Life in the Lonely Lane

Five years had passed since Voldemort's defeat. Jamie was adored by a grateful fawning public. James and Sirius "dabbled" at being Aurors and Lily wrote the books and handled the publicity.

Although by their birth and position in society, the Potters and Sirius Black would always be considered one of the elite, the fact that the Potters were the parents of the Boy-Who-Lived and Sirius Black was his godfather served to enhance their positions in society and no social gathering, fundraiser or party could be considered a success unless the Potters and Black were present. If they actually brought Jamie Potter with them, there was practically a riot.

And then there was Harry. He never went anywhere. In fact, few people knew he existed besides close family friends. However, at The Pottery he was "the invisible boy" for all the attention paid to him.

He was not physically abused by anyone. The house elves took good care of him, seeing that he was fed and clean and Misty, the "nursemaid elf" took care of the scrapes and bruises which little boys always manage to acquire. She also made sure he went to bed at a decent time and that he had new clothes when he needed them. It was Misty who gave him the trainer books so that he could teach himself to read at the age of three.

Lily took care of all of those things for Jamie, especially since Jamie got his clothes for free due to the endorsements he did. Every little wizard wanted to dress like their hero, the Boy-Who-Lived as well as playing with the toys he played with.

Although both Jamie and Harry had gotten a small baby-training broom for their first birthday, Jamie always received a new broom every year from various broom companies. Harry usually ended up with Jamie's old brooms, or at least the ones he hadn't broken.

But no one really noticed Harry. Sirius would visit several times a week and if Harry just happened to be in a room Sirius would say "hello there pup" and ruffle his hair or just pat him on the head. If Harry wasn't in the room, Sirius wouldn't ask to see him.

James and Sirius taught Jamie how to fly and play Quidditch because he was, after all, going to play chaser for Gryffindor just like James had. They also started teaching him pranks very early on, even before he started doing accidental magic.

Harry taught himself how to fly, just like he taught himself to read. He had started showing off his magic about the time he was two, but no one noticed as they were never looking at Harry.

When Jamie had "started using magic" it had not really been Jamie, but Harry who had changed the color of the living room walls to a bright purple. However, knowing it would please his parents and he would get rewarded, Jamie claimed that he had done it. He did this several times over the years and it really wasn't until he was nearly six that he actually managed to make a cake float over to the table – and fall on Harry's head - much to the usual delight of his parents.

Harry never said a thing and Jamie knew he wouldn't because who would believe Harry? It was not that Jamie and Harry were enemies it was just that Jamie knew he was special because people treated him special and he was constantly told how wonderful he was and what a great wizard he would be when he grew up. He had fame, was spoiled shamelessly and could do no wrong. If he did something stupid like broke a vase, he said that Harry had done it and Harry was yelled at and punished for it.

The twins had their own separate rooms. Well Jamie had a suite as he had so much stuff he needed a separate room to store it. He had a bedroom, a private bath, a play room and a small sitting room.

Harry just had a normal room ample for the needs of an average boy. There was a bed, a bureau, a wardrobe, a desk with a chair, a bookcase and space for a toy box. The box contained a building block set, a yoyo, coloring books and crayons and a few puzzles. But then he had no one to play with as Jamie had his mother, father and Sirius to see to his needs and then there were the play dates his parents arranged with proper "Light" children.

The playmates chosen (on the suggestion of Dumbledore) were the younger Weasley children, consisting of the twins Fred and George, Ron and Percy who acted as a babysitter.

Neville Longbottom was dragged in by his father, but he really didn't like coming as he thought Jamie was rude, arrogant, conceited and played too rough. Besides, Jamie and the Weasley twins and Ron liked to practice their pranks on Neville and were rather ruthless in their pursuit of him. He ended up bruised and sometimes bloody and it usually took all of his self-control not to cry in front of them as that just made the four boys laugh and think up even worse things to do to him.

Jamie was bad but Ron was worse and he was the ones who usually called Neville names and started the rumor that the boy was a Squib. His visits were stopped when his mother, realized what was going on and despite Frank still urging his son to continue the visits and Augusta Longbottom practically ordering him, Alice stayed strong and Neville was free.

Susan Bones, Hannah Abbott, Ernie McMillian and Michael Corner were dragged over, but the same thing happened to them and they all dropped out of the play dates a lot sooner than Neville. They still had to attend the birthday parties and the Halloween anniversary celebrations given by the Ministry and other social events, but they didn't like it and always avoided Jamie and the Weasleys.

Susan Bones knew about Harry as her Aunt Amelia was his godmother. She sought Harry out when escaping with Hannah and they formed a friendship of sorts before it was noticed they were missing and dragged back to be pranked.

Therefore, whenever the Weasleys came over, Harry spent time hiding because he knew if they were not flying they would be looking for him to test out their pranks. It was bad enough when Jamie, James and Sirius ganged up on Harry to turn his skin different colors or show Jamie how to cast jinx curses on his helpless brother. Those three had a good laugh and Lily, although she did not approve, did nothing to stop them as it made Jamie so happy and Lily had to admit that Harry was a stick-in-the-mud.

Harry had come up with a plan to survive. It had been decided to home school the children. Lily was appointed the teacher. She didn't know that Harry could already read and since even she knew Jamie was going to be a handful, she had been more than pleased when Harry had suggested that if he was sent to the local Muggle school then she could concentrate entirely on Jamie.

Lily thought that was an excellent idea. Although it had never been said outright, nobody could recall Harry doing any magic and there was the fear that he was a Squib. Jamie had started early doing sporadic magic and when he was five he started doing a bit more. Naturally the magic Jamie had said he did had been Harry's doing and Harry, being pragmatic, had stopped doing any magic in front of anybody which was the real reason that Jamie had been forced to start.

If Harry was indeed a Squib (although a simple examination at St. Mungo's would prove whether or not he was), he would need to go to a Muggle school and learn to live as a Muggle. Therefore, she enrolled Harry at the local Muggle primary while she started tutoring Jamie. She didn't mention it to James and he wouldn't notice anyway.

She had told Jamie not to say anything because people might fault her for not being able to handle two children, but she wanted to focus solely on her very talented son and didn't want Harry in the way as his presence might "slow Jamie down." She also offered Jamie a large bribe, which was difficult as the boy had just about everything there was worth having.

So Harry went to a Muggle school and even ended up skipping two grades while being the top of his class. And no one noticed, especially not James.

For the first time in his life, Harry made some friends on his own and not the magical children who befriended him when escaping Jamie. He got involved in sports and was very good at track and swimming. He enjoyed his school days and the only problem he had was explaining about his family. He told everyone his father traveled a lot in his job and he had a brother who was too sick to come to school so he was home schooled.

That was the reason why neither of his parents were available to come to any school events and why he wasn't allowed to have friends over. His mother always gave him money to pay his way when he went on trips with some of his friends and attended their birthday parties. Lily had already "explained" to the school authorities (or rather spelled them) about their unique family situation. She didn't want it to appear to the teachers to be a bad mother.

Everything worked out fine and Harry was happy. He still kept up on his personal magical education but was learning a lot about the Muggle world. He wondered if he really had to attend Hogwarts. Maybe he could get special permission to be tutored in magic in the summer while going to a Muggle school. Apparently he was doing so well his teachers hinted that he might be able to go to a posh private school.

If he really thought about it, Harry didn't want to go to Hogwarts because of his brother. He knew people didn't know about him and if he went to Hogwarts people might just befriend him to be around his Jamie. He would constantly be judged and compared with Jamie and probably not well. He knew that Jamie would definitely be in Gryffindor as would the Weasleys. He couldn't stand Ron for the small amount of time he was forced to be in the boy's presence and he did not want to think about sharing a dorm with him and attending classes. Life at Hogwarts would be torture.

There was the possibility of going to another school. Durmstrang was out because of the "darkness" associated with it and Dumbledore would definitely not approve. James would probably throw a fit about a Potter not attending Hogwarts – even if it were Harry.

Harry wondered if he could go under an alias such as Harry Evans so that no one would know he was a Potter, which James just might go along with as Jamie wouldn't have to admit he had a brother. But no, the Weasleys would never let that happen and he could hear Ron now saying "Harry is practically a Squib and he is an embarrassment to the Potters" all the while smirking at Harry and then making his life as miserable as possible.

His only chance at possibly having any decent life at Hogwarts was if he was in Ravenclaw of Hufflepuff. Granted, if sorted into Hufflepuff he would be made fun of by everybody, especially the Weasleys, but it would be better than Slytherin where he would definitely be disowned, shortly killed by his dorm mates or at least constantly hexed, cursed and tortured and/or all of the above.

Oh well, he was going to be seven in two months so he still had four years before Hogwarts. Until then all was going fine.

Or so he thought.


	3. Chapter 3 - Disowned

J K Rowling owns all the rights to the books and the amazing characters she created. I write only to satisfy my imagination and use my creativity and make no money from my writings.

Chapter 3 - Disowned

It all started when Sirius' mother was on her death bed. She still had never forgiven Sirius for…well for being Sirius. Her "good son" was dead and Sirius was now the last of the Blacks. He must marry if only to produce an heir.

"You can even marry a Muggleborn if only you marry and produce an heir" his desperate mother had finally said, "Just don't tell anybody she isn't pure. Marry a foreigner – even an American so people don't find out."

For someone such as his mother, a rabid Pureblood, willing to let him marry a Muggleborn just as long as he married and produced an heir, well that actually caused him to think about it. All he had to do was get married and have a kid or two. He didn't have to love the woman let alone stay faithful to her. Just marry someone fertile and accommodating and continue the Black line. Of course he would raise the kids according to _his standards_.

So he found himself actually considering his mother's request. He did adore his godson Jamie and even little, quiet, insignificant Harry, so he'd probably love his kids. So he promised his mother he would so she could die in peace. She would die alright but swore to him that if he broke his promise she would come back and haunt him.

So die she did, but first she gave Sirius a list of potential candidates. He looked them over and started his "interviewing" as he called it, assisted by James and Remus. That was his first mistake.

His second mistake was deciding on three women he wanted to marry. They were all beautiful or at least pretty, well-bred, sadly two were Purebloods but one was a Half-blood. One of the Purebloods (the best looking one) didn't have a dowry, but that didn't matter because he had plenty of money. She had plenty of spirit, could have an intelligent conversation and she had attended Beauxbatons so had not known about his history at Hogwarts. Unfortunately she knew all about him which she cared to know.

Her parents were all for her marrying a rich Pureblood, even if it was the notorious Sirius Black, but she was not impressed with him. This made him want her all the more. It was a similar situation like James and Lily.

A lot of negotiations went back and forth and the girl was being pressured relentlessly by her parents. Sirius decided he was going to marry her whether she wanted to marry him or not. They would have ornery kids who would grow up to be just like Sirius.

Then it happened. It was unbelievable. It couldn't possibly be true but yet the tests didn't lie. Sirius Black was sterile.

One of the main requirements of the Black Family marital contracts was that the bride be tested for fertility. The potential bride agreed but she also demanded that Sirius Black be given a complete physical due to his life of a playboy. She had heard the rumors that Muggles had some very bad and some incurable sexual diseases and that Sirius was not too particular in his dating habits and was known to frequent Muggle establishments and to actually have sex with them.

At first Sirius was insulted but then he agreed for the hell of it. He knew he was in excellent health and had always taken extra precautions when seducing Muggles.

Sirius submitted to the extensive tests needed to prove his health and virility. The results were his health was fairly decent, considering the type of lifestyle he led, but apparently he was born with certain genetic deficiencies resulting in him being totally and irreparably sterile. He was the last of his line. The next generation of the Blacks would consist of Andromeda's daughter and Narcissa's son.

He had reinstated Andromeda and thus her daughter once he had taken his title, but the Black Family was patriarchal so unless Nymphadora married and had a son, she could not directly inherit the title if there was a suitable male heir. There was no way that Draco Malfoy was going to be Lord Black.

The only other thing Sirius could do was to blood adopt a son and confer the title on him.

Of course! He should have done it in the beginning and saved himself the time, trouble and the humiliation of finding out that he was…defective.

He would blood adopt Jamie and make him his heir.

James was delighted with the news. Harry was the first born and therefore the primary heir whereas poor Jamie, who really deserved being Lord Potter, would have nothing unless Harry died or was proven to be a Squib. Now Jamie would have the Black Lordship and Harry would still be the heir.

But then James started thinking. Whenever James started thinking, bad things happened. Outrageous pranks were invented, people were insulted (and sometimes physically and/or mentally hurt), and usually somebody had to clean up the mess James made.

It was then that James made the worse decision of his life.

Jamie would not only be Lord Black someday but also Lord Potter. James would make Jamie his heir.

Of course, he would have to disown Harry, but then Harry wasn't as important as Jamie. He wasn't as intelligent, talented and definitely not magically powerful. Hell, James didn't even know if Harry had magic. Therefore, according to James' logic, Harry didn't deserve the lordship and Jamie did.

"Of course I am not totally heartless," James had said when he told Lily and Sirius about his wonderful idea. "Harry will still have his trust fund, and since we will no longer be his parents, maybe the Goblins can't arrange for the maintenance clause to go into action and Harry's trust fund will get an extra G10,000 a year until he is 17."

Lily wasn't too keen on the idea as it would mean that Harry would be sent away. He was still her child, her first born, and although she would admit she had not been the best mother to Harry, she still loved him. But she loved Jamie more and Jamie should have all they could give him. Besides, it was evident that James had already made up his mind and he wouldn't listen to her.

Sirius thought about it and although it was definitely unfair to poor Harry, Jamie deserved to have the Potter Lordship. So he agreed with James that it was a wonderful idea.

Now the only problem was what to do with Harry.

James had wanted to dump Harry on Lily's sister as he was probably a Squib so he should be raised in the Muggle world. Lily was horrified at the idea as Petunia would never agree to that even if she would be getting paid to take Harry.

"Why don't we get Harry tested at St. Mungo's and find out once and for all," said Lily, "as that would prove Harry's status."

That had made sense so they took Harry for testing. The diagnosis was yes, Harry was indeed a wizard but had just not gotten around to showing his magic.

"He says that he has performed magic but you never believed him so he has just never done any around you," the healer had told them.

That meant that Petunia was definitely out. Therefore, their next step was to contact Amelia Bones, Harry's godmother.

Amelia hadn't had much contact with Harry over the years. She had a very stressful job and her orphaned niece to raise. However, she always sent Harry a birthday and Christmas present and the occasional letter to ask how he was doing. She didn't see him that much because Susan refused to go over to The Pottery because she loathed Jamie and Harry always had to hide because of the pranks Jamie would play on him.

"I don't think Jamie likes Harry too much and I know Jamie considers Harry competition and pushes him away," Susan had told her.

Since the Potters never took Harry out to any of the social occasions they attended, only Jamie, few people knew of Harry's existence. Amelia had to admit that Jamie loved the spotlight and didn't seem the type to share. He was rather rude and arrogant, but then again, _James had been the same_.

It had been a great surprise when James Potter and Sirius Black had approached her at work and had very casually asked if she would be interested in adopting Harry. Apparently, James was making Jamie the Potter heir and felt that it would be uncomfortable having Harry living with them since he had to be officially disowned before Jamie could be made the heir.

Amelia had been shocked at James' attitude. This was his son, not a puppy which he was trying to find a home for. She didn't know whether to be angry or to start crying when James informed her that they were asking her first since she was the kid's godmother, but if she wasn't interested, they would just go down their list until they found somebody willing to take the kid.

James had gone on spouting about financial matters, although the Goblins could better inform her of all the terms.

Amelia was on the verge of hexing both James and Sirius when her maternal instincts kicked in. She had been married young but her husband died in the war. He had been fool enough to join Dumbledore's Order and had been killed in one of those raids which Dumbledore had ordered to be done but which had not been adequately planned. She had never remarried as now she had Susan to raise and her job was oh so stressful. Also, it was a little known fact, that a witch or wizard usually only "loved" one person and if they lost them, they would not marry at all, let alone remarry.

"Let me get this straight," she said, interrupting James, "You are officially disowning Harry so that Jamie, who is being blood adopted and made Sirius' heir, can also be made the Potter heir at the same time and you are doing this because Jamie is the Boy-Who-Lived and therefore deserves to be the heir of two houses?"

"Yes," said James proudly as if doing such a thing happened every day.

Controlling her temper, she then asked, "So Harry will not be a Potter and I should blood adopt him so that he will be a Bones?"

"Yes BUT he will still retain his trust fund and, according to my father's Will, a maintenance allowance until he is 17, so it is not like he is going to cost you anything. His trust fund was started with 100,000 galleons and if you adopt him now he will be getting another 10,000 galleons for his upkeep so it won't cost you anything," said a beaming James.

"You do realize that once you disown him and I blood adopt him, Harry will never be your son ever again?"

"Of course I know it," said James, "that is the plan. I mean I hardly see him as he and Jamie don't get along and I do work as an Auror as you well know."

Amelia was getting angrier by the moment and she was about to hex both wizards if only to remove the smug looks on their arrogant, uncaring faces, when she stopped knowing that the only sensible thing to do was to adopt Harry. From the sounds of it, the poor child would be better off being raised by Voldemort were he still around, than these fools.


	4. Chapter 4 - Hogwarts

J K Rowling owns all the rights to the books and the amazing characters she created. I write only to satisfy my imagination and use my creativity and make no money from my writings.

Chapter 4 - Hogwarts

Remus Lupin couldn't believe what his friends were doing.

He knew James, Lily and Sirius paid more attention to Jamie than they did to Harry and he had to admit that so did he. When he saw Harry he was always pleasant to him and always gave him a nice book for his birthday and Christmas as he knew the boy liked to read. At times he tried to have a conversation with the boy but somehow they were always interrupted, usually by James or Jamie, and he never seemed to get back to talking to Harry who had by then disappeared.

But James was disowning Harry so that Jamie could be the heir and Sirius was making Jamie his heir. Why couldn't each boy be an heir? It was just too cruel.

Another disturbing thing was that it had been made perfectly clear to everybody who was allowed to know, that the press was not to get wind of this. Somehow the news media didn't know about Harry so why should they find out about him now under such circumstances. It wouldn't be good publicity for the Potters.

The press release would only state that James Sirius Potter, the Potter heir, was now going to be made the heir of his godfather Sirius Black, and that a celebration would be held at The Pottery by invitation only.

The one problem was how it would be explained that Amelia Bones had blood adopted her own heir. Of course Susan Bones, who was being raised by her aunt since the death of her parents, would still be the Bones heiress as she was the daughter of Amelia's oldest brother. Susan would only be gaining a cousin and not losing any inheritances.

There was not going to be an official announcement nor or a large public celebration of the adoption. In fact, the only persons at the small after ceremony party were the Abbott Family, the Tonks Family and Frank and Alice Longbottom with their son Neville. The Longbottoms were going to be the godparents to Henry Edgar Bones, or "Hal" as Harry would now be known.

It was a quiet and, if the truth be known, an uncomfortable party. Everybody was happy for poor Harry being adopted by Amelia Bones. It was agreed by all that it would be good for the boy as he wouldn't be living in the abominable atmosphere he had been for the past years. He would have a nice, loving home and now have a much nicer sibling in Susan than he had had with Jamie. He could even make friends of his own now that he wasn't under Jamie's shadow. Neville was already asking if he could visit as well as having Harry over to Longbottom Manor.

Susan had liked Harry the times they had been uninterrupted at The Pottery as did Hannah. Nymphadora Tonks, or Dora as she wanted to be called, was pleased to meet Hal. She would be starting Hogwarts this year and couldn't wait.* She informed her new friends she could tell them all about the school when she came home for the Yule holidays.

Everybody was desperately trying to smile and make Hal feel welcomed and wanted, but it was a very embarrassing situation all around.

On July 31st on his seventh birthday, Harry James Potter had been officially disowned by the Potter Family. Once the official disownment ceremony was completed, he was shown the door and left with just the clothes on his back. He was led into a side room at Gringotts where he was stripped naked and the clothes he had been wearing were taken away to be returned to the Potters for them to keep or, mostly likely, to be disposed of, thus signifying that Harry James No Name had no connection whatsoever to the Potter Family and never would again.

There was another set of very plain clothes which Harry No Name put on and then he was led out of the room and shown out of the door of Gringotts. At the front door he was met by Andromeda Tonks who then took him home to her house where he spent the night.

As soon as Harry had been officially disowned and led out the door to start his new life, another ceremony making Jamie the official Potter heir was quickly conducted. Then there was a quick trip to the Ministry of Magic for the very public ceremony of becoming the blood adopted son of Sirius Black. Photographs were taken for the _Daily Prophet_ , paperwork was signed and then all of those invited flooed back to The Pottery for the lavish celebration.

On August 1st, the Tonks Family brought Harry James No Name to Gringotts where he was officially blood adopted by Amelia Susan Bones as her son. He was given a new name, changed into a new set of robes with the Bones crest on it and August 1st became his new legal date of birth.

Since Jamie was related to Sirius, there were no physical changes due to the blood adoption. However, since the Bones Family was not closely related to the Potters, Harry's appearance did change. He still kept his beautiful green eyes (inherited from Lily's side of the family, from which he had not been disowned) and black hair (as Amelia's father had black hair while her mother had had the strawberry blonde hair which she and Susan had inherited), but his hair was straighter and not the messy hair the Potters were known for having.

His facial structure had changed very slightly becoming a bit more oval and even better, his eyesight was much improved. He would still need glasses but not as much as before. In fact, when he went to the optometrist the following day for new glasses, an examination showed that his eyes were good enough to be able to be treated with a specialized potion to correct his vision. Within a few months he wouldn't need glasses at all.

Four years later a boy was going to Hogwarts. This boy would not be recognized by anyone who had known him four years ago. He was of medium height, had nice black hair which was slightly wavy and beautiful almond-shaped emerald green eyes. He had fair skin but with a healthy glow with a summer tan.

The boy was no longer shy and was very outgoing. He and his cousin Susan arrived at King's Cross Station along with Hannah Abbott. They were going to meet their friend Neville Longbottom and share a compartment together. Amelia Bones was there to see her son and niece off but had to leave sooner than the Abbotts or Longbottoms because she had an unavoidable meeting with the Minister of Magic.

The Longbottoms had been there early and Neville had already claimed a compartment and left his trunk and his pet there so that hopefully no one else would lay claim. There were some tearful goodbyes said until Frank managed to drag his wife away. The four children were just anxious to get on the train and start their journey even though the train wouldn't leave for twenty minutes.

Once the parents had been forced off the train (Mrs. Abbott had insisted on seeing the compartment) the kids could relax and truly start their adventure of going to Hogwarts.

The kids were chatting amiably while waiting for the train to leave when the door of the compartment opened and a bushy-haired, slightly bucktooth girl asked if she could sit with them.

"I had found a compartment to sit in but I was thrown out as it was 'needed for the Boy-Who-Lived'," she told them sadly. "Then when I tried to sit in some other compartments, some very rude people called me a Mudblood and told me to take my filthy, unworthy self from their presence." With that said, the girl started to cry.

Naturally she was brought into the compartment and led to a seat by Susan while Hal and Neville saw to her trunk being stowed. She was very grateful for their kindness and then immediately started a conversation thanking them, telling her life history as well as asking a multitude of questions without giving anyone a chance to answer any before the next question was asked. She finally remembered her manners and told them her name was Hermione Granger and then asked what their names were.

However, before any of them could reply a great deal of noise was heard in the hallway as it seemed the Boy-Who-Lived and his entourage had finally boarded the train and were only now making their way to the compartment which had been _reserved_ for him by the toadying Head Boy. Somehow reporters had managed to gain entrance to the train and were throwing out questions to the Savior of their world, which were being answered by James Potter, Sr.

Finally the reporters were removed by a few Aurors who had accompanied Potter and the train was finally able to take off at 11:15 a.m., which had never happened in living memory but then with anything concerning the Boy-Who-Lived, exceptions were made.

Once the train finally started moving, the new friends of Hermione Granger had finally managed to introduce themselves, answer some of her questions, and basically calmed her down. Of course she had asked them about the Boy-Who-Had-Commandeered-Her-Compartment after telling them what she had read about him.

Her four new friends quickly debunked many of the things which she had read about the Boy-Who-Lived.

"Even the books written by his Mother?" a shocked Hermione had asked.

"If you read the _very fine print_ , you will see a disclaimer stating that they are **_the presumed exploits that he will someday be doing_** ," a very helpful Hal had informed her.

They managed to talk Hermione out of trying to be sorted into Gryffindor as just because Dumbledore was a Gryffindor didn't mean it automatically increased a person's magical power.

"But Professor McGonagall said that Gryffindor is the best house to be in and that Jamie Potter will be getting sorted into that house and I could be his friend."

The other four looked at each other before turning to the girl. Susan said, "McGonagall was also a Gryffindor as well as the current Head of House so she is biased. Besides, Jamie Potter is very particular who his friends are and since you are a Muggleborn…well he'd probably only use you for doing his homework."

Hermione didn't want to believe it but then she got her first view of the Boy-Who-Lived while they all waited outside the great hall before being sorted. Jamie Potter was surrounded by adoring fans. A lanky, rather loud red-haired boy stood next to him fending off undesirables. There stood James Sirius Potter, an average-sized boy who was slightly chubby. He also had red hair like his guardian but it was very messy and stuck out in all directions. He wore round, black glasses, which did nothing for his looks.

"Watch as he now holds court," whispered the boy who had introduced himself as Hal, "and notice that the other red head, Ron Weasley, is acting almost like a bouncer/body guard. See how he is pushing people away and acting very rude."

Hermione could not help but notice that Jamie did appear to be holding court. He had a high, rather squeaky voice and talked entirely too loud and he was very rude. He even started a fight with a blond haired boy who was backed up by two rather large, stupid-looking boys. The other red headed boy was being ruder and was even shoving people away from Potter.

Ravenclaw, which had been Hermione's first choice, started looking really good to her now despite what Professor McGonagall had told her. She was therefore very relieved when she was sorted into that house. Susan and Hannah had been sorted into Hufflepuff, while Hal Bones and Neville Longbottom were sorted into Ravenclaw.

When it was Potter's turn to be sorted, he swaggered arrogantly up to the Sorting Hat. The Hat almost immediately sorted the boy into Gryffindor, much to the cheers and shouts of that house and the applause coming from the teacher's table. Flashes from the newspapers lit up the great hall, as did the private cameras from several tables.

Breaking with all tradition, Headmaster Dumbledore stopped the sorting to personally congratulate Jamie Potter on his placement in the "very best House" and even gave a little speech expressing not only his but Magical Britain's belief as to what an outstanding young wizard the boy already was as well as all of the great things he would most certainly accomplish once he completed his magical education.

It was not lost on Hermione, since she was a very intelligent girl after all and she had read _Hogwarts, A History_ twice already, all of the traditions the Headmaster was breaking and the insult to the three other houses he gave proclaiming that Gryffindor was the very best House. However, he didn't seem to care despite the grumbling coming from the other three Houses and the dirty looks coming from most of the staff sitting at the Head table.

After the sorting was resumed, the rude red hair boy acting as a bodyguard to Potter was sorted into Gryffindor and after Blaise Zabini was sorted into Slytherin the feast started. After the desserts disappeared from the tables, Dumbledore made a few announcements.

The Boy-Who-Lived's mother was starting that year as the Muggle Studies teacher. She was introduced by Dumbledore and received polite applause from the assembly. After informing the school about Fitch's list of forbidden items, which caused a great deal of laughter and even snorting coming from the Gryffindor table, Dumbledore ended his speech with a warning to stay away from the third floor unless one wanted to die a painful death. Again laughter came from the House of Lions.

Hermione was extremely grateful that she had met and had been befriended by Hannah, Susan, Hal and Neville. Watching the behavior of the Gryffindors disgusted her, especially when she saw how Potter's guard, or Ron Weasley, was stuffing his face with food, spraying said food, talking with his mouth full and being loud and obnoxious. Her opinion of Dumbledore had also taken a nose dive.

Hermione had prepared for her classes by memorizing her school books and doing a lot of extra reading. After the second day of classes it was gently pointed out to her by Hal and Neville that she was becoming unpopular by her actions in classes.

"I know you know the answers to the questions the teachers are asking, but you really should let other people have a chance to show off what they know," Hal had said. "Besides you are a member of Ravenclaw and we Ravens are smart and it ill becomes you to act as if you know everything and others don't or haven't read or studied their books. Sometimes, you have to listen to learn things that you can't learn from books."

Neville told Hermione that she had to learn about the politics and traditions of Magical World, "otherwise you will make enemies and cause ill-will and…well let's just say, Muggleborns often destroy their chances in our world because they try to enforce their Muggle and/or religious views on an entirely different culture, which is what we are."

"Yes, and that causes problems and gives the bigots and old Pureblood families ammunition to use against the Muggleborns," Hal had added.

After their talk, Hermione decided to tone down her enthusiasm and observe. It took her awhile to fully understand what the two boys were trying to tell her but eventually she realized the boys were telling her the truth. For the first time in her life, Hermione was making friends and was truly learning about the new world she had entered.

The first few weeks were always the hardest in a new school, especially one such as Hogwarts with its moving stairs, ghosts, talking and moving pictures. The House system was strange. Hal had warned her that Gryffindor and Slytherin were mortal enemies and it seemed like instead of trying to reduce the hostility between the two Houses, Dumbledore actually encouraged the bitter dislike. It was plain that he favored Gryffindor and several of her other housemates informed Hermione that the Headmaster let the House of Lions get away with just about anything short of murder.

Within the first few weeks of school Hermione's lifelong respect for authority and the esteem she had always held for teachers had lessened immensely. Between Dumbledore's attitude and such teachers such as Binns (a ghost who even put Ravenclaws to sleep), the nastiness of Snape, the potions teacher, and the blatant favoritism shown to Gryffindors her respect for a teacher now had to be earned.

Professor McGonagall was strict but fair and Professors Flitwick and Sprout seemed worthy of respect. The Astronomy teacher was still under her perusal. Several other teachers she wouldn't be exposed to until her third year but she listened to what the older Ravenclaws said about them.

One thing she had learned by the second day of classes was that Jamie Potter was a total git and overly favored by most of the teachers. Due to his arrogance and behavior, only Gryffindor seem to still worship him as well as a few of the diehard fan girls in Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw who hadn't gotten a chance to know him yet. Ron Weasley was still his shadow and his personality was abrasive to say the least. His twin brothers lurked around and the other Weasley, Percy, was a Prefect and very pompous. It was evident he was a toady to the Boy-Who-Lived but then so were many others.

Hermione was still friends with Susan and Hannah despite their being in another house. She also made friends with Lisa Turpin and Morag MacDougal and even two of the Slytherin girls, Daphne and Tracy were at least civil to the Ravenclaws when in classes or studying in the library.

Hermione had panic during the flying class almost falling off her broom, but Hal had saved her and was awarded points by Madame Hooch. She was extremely grateful that Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff had flying lessons with each other instead of Gryffindor or Slytherin as apparently an actual fight had broken out between Jamie Potter and Draco Malfoy, resulting in a free-for-all between the two houses.

The entire Slytherin class had a day's detention for inciting the riot with Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle and Nott getting 20 points each deducted from their House. The Gryffindors had also received point reductions and detentions but they were restored and the detentions were cancelled after Jamie Potter personally appealed to the Headmaster with "his side of the story."

This did not sit well with the rest of the Houses, but then Dumbledore didn't care. The incident even made news in the _Daily Prophet_ with the Slytherins being the villains and Jamie Potter being the hero and protector of his House's honor.

Tensions escalated after the article came out and Potter – along with Ron Weasley – strutted around the school causing even more ill-will.

There was also a mystery concerning Hal and Neville with regard to Jamie and Ron. Ravenclaw had only two classes with Gryffindor – Charms and Herbology. For some reason unknown to Hermione, Lisa and Morag, Jamie and Ron continually picked on Hal and Neville calling them Squibs, losers, fags and any other nasty names that took their fancy.

Stinging hexes, tripping jinxes and nasty pranks were being played on Hal and Neville and they were taunted on a regular basis. Both boys ignored the treatment although they did produce rather excellent shield charms to protect themselves and their friends from receiving the hexes and jinxes. Neither Flitwick nor Sprout did anything to stop the treatment after the points and detentions they assigned, when the Gryffindors were actually caught in the act, were withdrawn by order of the Headmaster.

Of course, the girls received no response from Hal or Neville when they asked why the Gryffindors were bullying them other than the excuse which Neville gave that "Gryffindors are bullies, it is as simple as that. Potter, Sr. and Jamie's godfather, Sirius Black, were known 'pranksters' who choose a victim or two at the start of their first year and continued their bullying with the apparent blessing of Dumbledore."

"But that's unfair and, and…" Hermione started to say.

"Yes, but that is Dumbledore," Hal snapped back.

"House Potter and House Black are very wealthy and influential in our world and as the last surviving heirs, were courted by many. Dumbledore always turned a blind eye concerning their 'pranks' no matter how cruel or physically hurtful they were, due to the power their Houses had. Sirius Black is sterile so made his beloved godson his heir so Jamie Potter is heir to two ancient and very influential houses and Ron Weasley is just his lackey, minion and partner in crime."

"It also complicates things that Jamie is the Boy-Who-Lived who is so very revered and adored by Magical Britain that he gets away with anything and is considered 'untouchable' by the press as he is THE HERO who defeated the Dark Lord and, if you remember Dumbledore's feast speech, has the potential to be almost as powerful as Dumbledore himself," Neville added.

"But there must be something you can do," Hermione said.

Morag decided to jump into the conversation by saying that with Dumbledore turning a blind eye to all the bullying, "the gits get away with it and there is nothing anybody can do about it."

Terry Boot, another Ravenclaw friend and roommate of Hal and Neville tried to smooth things over by saying, "hopefully they will tire of picking on Hal and Neville and attack others when they don't get a reaction."

"No," added Neville sadly, "we were hoping that would happen but apparently is hasn't and won't. I am going to have a talk with my parents during the holidays so maybe they can help. Besides, we aren't the only ones they are bullying and the Weasley Twins have been pulling pranks ever since they arrived but since they are Gryffindors, Dumbles let it slide as long as they don't get caught."

Hermione was appalled at the unfairness of it all and even suggested "Well hex and prank them back," something she NEVER would have suggested before she came to Hogwarts.

"Oh we intend to," said Hal, "but we have to make very sure that nothing can be traced back to us. Besides, the Damnable Duo – which is what Nev and I are calling Jamie & Ron – are starting to attack other people like Malfoy. I don't see Malfoy turning the other cheek. I wouldn't be surprised if the _Daily Prophet_ gets wind on all the bullying precious Jamie is doing."

Hal was correct in his lying low for the moment as since he and Neville were ignoring all the nonsense they were considered no fun. However, the pranking and verbal war between Potter and Malfoy was heating up and bets were being made for when one of them went too far.

Malfoy was furious as despite the rule that first years were not allowed to bring their broom, Potter had brought his and, hanging onto his coattails, Ron Weasley had brought his broom also. Then to add insult to injury, Potter made the Quidditch team despite being a first year and not trying out and yet another rule that had been ignored.

Apparently the rule about bringing brooms and joining Quidditch teams were only for Potter. Malfoy had immediately been gifted with a Nimbus 2000 by his father but was informed by Madame Hooch that not only could he not fly his broom for fun, he could not try out for his Quidditch team nor could first years from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.

When asked why Potter was given permission to break the rules, Hooch had informed Malfoy that the Headmaster had given his permission because Jamie Potter was the Boy-Who-Lived and should be given special allowances because he was their world's savior AND that Jamie Potter was a Quidditch prodigy.

Lucius Malfoy was on the Board of Governors for the school and when he had petitioned for equal rights for the other students (mainly for his son Draco), he had been voted down as the other governors informed Lucius that they were loath to challenge anything involving the Boy-Who-Lived. Between his status as "savior" as well as his family's influence and being the heir of two ancient and noble houses, he was basically untouchable.

Draco Malfoy had to use every ounce of his Pureblood training to keep his temper in check, but by the time of the first Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin tempers were short in all three Houses as it seemed that all Gryffindors were pranking without censure.

The day of the match was very crowded as since it was the Boy-Who-Lived's public Quidditch debut, all of the news services as well as many of the boy's fans had decided to attend the match. The stands had to be magically expanded to accommodate all who showed up.

But then a light showed through the darkness as it seemed that Jamie Potter was only an average player. Even though Snape had been forced to instruct the team that none of their "usual tactics" were to be used for this match as Dumbledore would not allow anything underhanded in this game, Slytherin had been warned. Many Ministry officials were attending the game and even scouts for the professional Quidditch teams were going to be in the audience.

So Slytherin played fair for once. It probably would have _killed_ them if not for the fact that Gryffindor's entire strategy revolved around Potter's playing. Like James Potter, Sr., Jamie was a chaser but chasers were supposed to work together. Jamie preferred to shine on his own and despite Team Captain Wood's orders, pleadings and eventual begging, Jamie did his own thing much to the detriment of his team.

It was only 50 minutes into the game with the score being 100 to 40 with Slytherin in the lead when the Slytherin seeker caught the snitch. Usually when Slytherin won a game, the other three houses didn't cheer but today Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw cheered so loud and long that it took 10 minutes before Dumbledore lost his temper and demanded silence.

Their joy was short lived because it seemed that Gryffindor was a sore loser and the amount of hexes, curses and nasty pranks escalated even more. Most were directed against any Slytherin unfortunate enough to be out in the hall. Although Slytherins always traveled in packs (at least three Slytherins minimum and usually more), attacks were frequent.

It became so bad that Slytherins were afraid to eat in the great hall (but then where else would they eat), as their food and drink contained some prank at least every other day. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw were also pranked but not as bad. And Dumbledore did nothing but laugh at the discomfort of his own students.

Snape had opined (and had been correct) that at least two of the notorious _Marauders_ were involved and indeed they were. James and Sirius had spent a lot of their own money providing the means and methods of the pranks and not that he would ever admit it, but Dumbledore instructed the Head House Elf of Hogwarts to obey and cooperate with the "harmless pranks" being done.

Things couldn't get any worse could they?

Several students were now considering transferring to another school next year if things didn't change, but no one could know that fate was about to change things.


	5. Chapter 5 - An Uncooperative Boy

J K Rowling owns all the rights to the books and the amazing characters she created. I write only to satisfy my imagination and use my creativity and make no money from my writings.

Chapter 5 – An Uncooperative Boy

Albus Dumbledore had laid his plans carefully. He had convinced his old friend Nicolas Flamel to allow the Philosopher's Stone to be hidden at Hogwarts to protect it from a possible deadly threat. In reality, the Stone would be used as a test for Jamie Potter.

The boy had use of his father's invisibility cloak, several hints had been blatantly given and it was just a matter of time before Potter and Weasley figured out the clues and went to "save" the Stone from Voldemort.

Oh yes, Dumbledore knew that Voldemort possessed Quintus Quirrell and had set the trap for the disembodied dark wizard to seek out the Stone. Originally, the Muggleborn Hermione Granger was supposed to be sorted into Gryffindor to act as the brains in what was to be known as the Golden Trio. However, for some unexplainable reason, the girl, an obvious Ravenclaw, hadn't tried to convince the Sorting Hat to put her in Gryffindor and had ended up in her true House.

While Jamie Potter was intelligent, like his father before him he was lazy and lived only for pranking and reveling in his fame. He would have to be persuaded to go after the Stone, but he would need someone to figure out the clues which Dumbledore had dropped around, hence the need for Granger. She would also push Potter and Ron Weasley into studying and more probably, do their homework for them.

She was a lonely, basically friendless child with little to no social skills and even with being sorted into Ravenclaw, should have been honored and grateful to be friends with Jamie Potter and do anything for him. For some unexplained reason, she had actually made several friends and has actually blossomed and was doing very well and had no need to befriend Potter and he had no reason or inclination to seek her out even for his homework to be done. Apparently Percy Weasley was "helping out" with Jamie's and Ron's homework assignments.

Unfortunately Percy was a strict adherent to keeping the rules so he would not lure them into looking for the Stone unless he was spelled to do so. Dumbledore had toyed with that idea but decided that considering it was Percy Weasley, he would probably have to imperious him.

There was always the Weasley Twins as it would be right up their alley, but knowing them they would try to do it by themselves and not include Jamie or their annoying little brother.

No, Dumbledore would just have to plan something else after the holidays.

Hal and Susan had returned home for the Christmas break anxious to tell their mother/aunt about all of the things which had happened at school. It had been Susan who had informed her aunt about all of the "pranks" which were played on Hal by his former brother and that nasty Ron Weasley, but her aunt had sadly informed her that Hal was doing the only logical thing that he could do by practicing his shield spells (which were very advanced for a first year) and hoping that Jamie and Ron Weasley would eventually pick on someone else.

Jamie probably knew that "Hal" was really his former brother and that was the reason for all of the pranking. Susan truly hated Jamie Potter as, after all, he had everything which was rightfully Hal's and even more. Hal had been robbed of being the rightful heir of House Potter, denied the rights to the Potter fortune, had lost his name and been cast out of his family. All had been given to his brother as well as the Black lordship and fortune. It just wasn't fair.

Despite all of the wrongs done to Hal, Jamie took the opportunity to hex, curse and "prank" poor Hal, probably because he could.

Susan would not be at all surprise if the despicable Ron Weasley hadn't come up with the idea. Ron had attached himself to Jamie while very young and had usurped Hal's rightful place at Jamie's side. Ron lived in Jamie's shadow, basking in his status as Best Mate of the Boy-Who-Lived.

It also helped that Ron was given some material benefits as well, such as getting a used broom since Jamie usually received one or two complementary brooms from manufacturers every year so Ron received "last year's broom" but still, it was a quality broom and his family could never had afforded anything as good as Jamie's cast offs. If he was in a good mood, Ron might even grant his old broom to one of his siblings when he received his yearly new used broom.

Since Ron was constantly at the Pottery, he had access to the cooking of the Potter house elves, who served more luxury foods than what was to be found on the Weasley family table, and got to attend some of the parties Jamie attended as well as accompanying Jamie and his family to Quidditch games, Muggle amusement parks and movie theaters. At times, if Jamie was in the mood, Ron even received some new clothes when Jamie received his complementary clothing from the companies he endorsed.

Oh yes, it was well-known that Ron Weasley was living the good life hanging on to the coattails of the Boy-Who-Lived and he jealously guarded his position as Best Mate. Since Percy was "helping" Jamie with his homework, all Ron had to do was copy it and change the wording a bit and not have to do all the work. Percy even made certain Jamie – and thus Ron – did some studying for their tests, so Ron planned to coast through school while getting decent marks. It never occurred to him that Percy would be graduating in three years!

After the holidays it was back to school and Quidditch games, which Gryffindor lost due to Jamie's selfish playing. Dumbledore would not let Oliver Wood kick Jamie off the team even with the boy's poor performance and failure to show up for the occasional practice.

Life at Hogwarts for Jamie Potter and Ron was fantastic. Nobody could even dream that things would not continue this way, especially not Dumbledore.

Dumbledore had started rumors around the school concerning just what was on the third floor. He even had the door to the room rigged that it could only be opened by him, Hagrid – who had to feed Fluffy – and Jamie Potter. After adding the odd compulsion charm on both Jamie and Ron, the boys began to seek out the corridor to see just what was behind that mysterious door.

One night, when they had nothing better to do, they snuck up to the third floor, opened the door and met Fluffy. They were running for their lives within three seconds, going so far as to start screaming all the way back to Gryffindor. Jamie decided that he was NOT going to go anywhere near that door and Ron agreed with him.

Therefore, both boys went back to doing as little as possible school work, Jamie playing Quidditch, both boys playing chess and assorted other wizard games, coming up with new ideas for pranking and then carrying them out (although the Weasley Twins actually invented the spell or potions used in the prank) and in general just having a wonderful time.

And then the unthinkable happened.

A prank was thought up by Jamie which involved the delivery of an especially foul smelling missile which would be delivered to the Slytherin common room, explode in said common room, fester a bit before drifting up and through the entire Slytherin dormitories and be waiting for the Slytherins to return from a day of classes only to be hit with the ungodly smell. According to the Weasley Twins' calculations, the smell would linger in the dormitories and even Snivellus would not be able to remove the stench.

Due to the Marauders' Map, Jamie and the Twins already knew where the Slytherins dwelt. The plan was that to get the password to Slytherin House, open the door and set off the bomb and get away without getting caught. Jamie had loaned the Twins the invisibility cloak so that the Twins could lurk around Slytherin House and overhear the password as Jamie had better things to do.

Then Jamie and Ron would sneak over to the dorm, open the entrance, throw the bomb in and fly away. Yes, fly away. Jamie had been taught a reduction charm by James, so he shrunk his and Ron's brooms so that they could carry the brooms on their person without anyone noticing. The same spell had been placed on the bomb by the Twins. The plan was to leave their potion class, lag behind a bit, run down to the entrance to Slytherin House, open the door, Jamie would enlarge the brooms and bomb, throw the bomb inside, Ron would shut the door, then both boys would jump on their brooms, with the invisibility cloak thrown over them, then quickly fly to a corridor near their next class.

By flying through the school, they would get to their next class on time, after having re-shrunk their brooms. They could not be blamed for the prank because they had an alibi as they had attended all of their classes so had been seen by both teachers and students and were not out of sight long enough to have the time to have sabotaged the Slytherin common room and made it to their next class in time. The Twins also had an alibi thanks to their classes and would not be anywhere near their enemies' common room because they didn't have potions that day.

Although Jamie, Ron and the Twins usually liked to take credit for their pranks, the Board of Governors had actually made a formal complaint to Dumbledore due to pressure from the parents of many of the students who had been "innocently pranked by the Boy-Who-Lived and his friends" as Dumbledore chose to call it. Since some of the pranks had already gotten out of hand, Dumbledore was forced to warn Jamie to tone things down – at least until things blew over and their victims were lulled into a false sense of security. "That would make the prank much sweeter" the Headmaster added.

Of course Jamie had placed the blame mostly on the Slytherins and at Ron's urging to "teach those slimy snakes a lesson" this prank would serve to show those snakes that _nobody messed with Jamie Potter_. If the Twins' calculations were correct, the Snakes' common room as well as their dorm rooms should be unfit for human habitation for several days. That should teach them!

Even though they wouldn't be able to claim their victory without getting into trouble, everyone would know, Dumbledore would declare them innocent due to their alibis and revenge would be had.

It couldn't possibly fail – until it did.

Jamie and Ron made their way to the entrance to Slytherin House, took off the cloak, and Jamie resized the brooms, both boys mounted their broom then Ron said the password to open the door. When the door opened Jamie threw the bomb into the room while resizing it. Then, to his horror, Jamie noticed two things. The bomb enlarged just as it hit the floor and immediately burst when it hit instead of the lying there for a few seconds before breaking up and spreading the stink.

The second thing wrong was nobody was supposed to be in the common room as it was in between classes. However, it had never occurred to Jamie or Ron that _not everybody had classes at the same time._ Therefore, three Slytherin fourth years, who had had a free period, had gone back to their common room to talk and relax. It wasn't until Jamie had already thrown the bomb in while enlarging it that he saw the three students. Jamie's only thought was "damn, we'll be caught" but he still yelled "we've been seen Ron, fly for it" before he quickly flew off into the hall.

There had been a lot of ingredients in the stink bomb because it had to permeate throughout seven floors, hence why the Twins and shrunk it down so much and charmed it to be light. They had also warned Jamie and Ron to be certain the door was close ASAP as once the bomb exploded the concentrated ingredients would be _**lethal**_ at point of impact due to the amount of ingredients needed to make the stink and distribute it throughout the entire Slytherin House.

Jamie panicked at seeing the three students so it never occurred to him to shut the entrance. Ron had already been on his broom and had quickly flown off when the bomb hit. Jamie had delayed for several seconds due to shock and yelling out the warning to Ron. Therefore he had managed to inhale some of the quickly spreading stink just as he took off.

That alone would have killed him within seconds, but in his haste to fly away he just flew his broom fast. Since he possessed a Nimbus 2000, he immediately accelerated too fast and rammed into a wall at breakneck speed. And that was exactly what he did, among other things. He hit the stone wall of the castle at high speed breaking not only his broom and his neck, but most of the other bones in his body as well as smashing his skull. His smashed body slid down the wall and landed in a heap of blood and broken bones.

The three Slytherins hadn't had time to process what was happening to them and had been killed instantly by taking their next breath. Ron hadn't inhaled anything and had sped away as fast as he could, avoiding not only walls but also the deadly fumes which were now flowing out of the common room into the hallway and making its way through the school.

Ron had flown the flight of a lifetime and didn't look back. He actually made it in time for his next class after hiding his broom in an unused classroom near his next class (Ron didn't know the shrinking charm yet). He ran into the corridor behind several other students and slipped into the classroom and took his usual seat. He hadn't noticed that Jamie wasn't following him. He didn't know that Jamie and three others were dead.


	6. Chapter 6 - Tragedy

J K Rowling owns all the rights to the books and the amazing characters she created. I write only to satisfy my imagination and use my creativity and make no money from my writings.

Chapter 6 – Tragedy

It had taken only ten minutes for the fumes to snake up from the dungeons to the rest of the school. The main hallways leading to the great hall was uninhabitable by that time and since the door to the great hall was opened, it too would be unusable for the near future.

The class currently having its potions lesson had been spared the full force of the drifting stink bomb as the door to the potions lab was reinforced to begin with due to the nature of the class and Snape detected the odious smell and quickly set up very strong shields. He then contacted the Headmaster via patronus and an investigation immediately started.

The Twins had been correct that the stench would be very difficult to stop. Shields had to be quickly set up before the stench reached more parts of the school. Flitwick predicted that the areas where the noxious odor had penetrated would be off limits for several days.

Snape and the students in the potions class had to be evacuated via a special port key which Dumbledore had created. Accommodations for the entire Slytherin House would have to be arranged as well as a temporary dining area since the great hall was out of bounds for who knew how long.

It was obvious that the smell was originating from the dungeons and no doubt from Slytherin House itself. Naturally certain people (mostly Gryffindors) were having a wonderful time making various nasty comments regarding the Slytherins such as "How can you tell there is a bad smell coming from the dungeons since Slytherins always smell bad" or "What do you expect from **_stinky, slimy snakes_** " (this comment coming from Ron Weasley who shouted it loudly).

The situation was indeed very serious but Dumbledore, figuring it was just another exceptional prank pulled by Jamie Potter, was also making a few bad taste jokes about the situation until an almost (for him at least) livid Snape informed the Headmaster that according to information he had received from some of his charges, "There are at least three Slytherin students who had gone back to the common room. If they did and were anywhere near the 'ground zero' as the Muggles term it, they are severely injured due to toxic fumes or…already dead."

It was only this announcement that forced Dumbledore to create another port key to the Slytherin common room. Both he and Snape cast bubble-headed charms on the heads as well as shield charms on the rest of their body (so that the smell would not penetrate their clothing) and keyed to the common room. They were met with a hideous sight as although the three students' death had been quick, it had not been painless as it showed so clearly on their distorted faces and bodies.

Dumbledore had been thinking fast as to how to cover this up as he called a staff meeting. McGonagall, Flitwick and Sprout had been late due to seeing that their houses were secured in their common rooms and no doubt Snape was going to be even later as rooms had to be prepared for his Slytherins first and he also would have to calm and settle his "little snakes" and attempt to explain things to them. What Dumbledore didn't know or expect was that Snape was also doing something that none of the others would dare do – he was reporting to the Ministry.

Snape had no illusions that this was a prank gone wrong. He also knew that despite three deaths, Dumbledore was going to cover the tragedy up. However, Snape was finally disgusted enough to prevent Dumbledore from doing the usual. Three of his Slytherins were dead.

Snape put his Prefects in charge of seeing to the settling in of his Slytherins. He then went into the Forbidden Forest past the apparation wards where he immediately apparated to Malfoy Manor. Lucius was a member of the Hogwarts Board of Governors but he was also a member of the Wizengamot and held a position of importance at the Ministry as well as having the Minister's ear.

He was received by Narcissa but that was no surprise as this was the time of day that Lucius would be at the Ministry.

"Severus, what a pleasant surprise," Narcissa had greeted him. There was a slight touch of worry in her voice as there was no good reason why Severus would be here at the Manor during the week and at this time of day. Naturally her first thought was of her only child but her breeding would not let her voice her concern first thing, hence the polite greeting.

"Narcissa, not to be impolite, but I need you to send for Lucius immediately as I gather he must be at the Ministry. Have him bring Fudge and Madame Bones and if any of them squawk about being summoned by a lowly teacher, kindly inform them that three Slytherin students are dead and Dumbledore is trying to cover it up."

Her mothering instincts outweighing her breeding Narcissa asked, "Draco. Is Draco…"

"Draco is safe but for wont of 10 or 15 minutes he could have been dead or lying seriously ill in the infirmary."

Within 15 minutes, Lucius, Fudge and Bones were standing in the foyer of Malfoy Manor being briefed by Snape about the day's events.

"Dumbledore called a staff meeting, for which I am extremely late, and since neither the Minister nor Madame Bones have been informed of the tragedy, the Headmaster is no doubt instructing the staff how he is going to cover this up just like he usually hides the 'unpleasantness' whenever something such as this occurs. I, for once, cannot allow this to continue as THREE STUDENTS ARE DEAD."

Snape had then gone on to opine that this had been one of Jamie Potter's "pranks" gone bad and that justice would not be served since it involved the Boy-Who-Lived.

It was Lucius who then took charge of the matter. He started by sending out house elves with a notice of an emergency meeting of the Hogwarts Board of Governors to be held at the Ministry. He and Minister Fudge would then floo directly to the Headmaster's office where the staff meeting was being held while Amelia Bones would be entering Hogwarts through the floo in the infirmary.

She would be accompanied by several Aurors, some of them specialists in curse breaking to evaluate the situation and hopefully to come up with a solution to the problem. Snape had butted in to recommend that Arthur Weasley be brought along so that he could give his permission to use Veritaserum on his children. The Potters would never give their permission to have the potion given to their precious child and without the Veritaserum Dumbledore would manage a cover up.

Within 20 minutes, the floo in the Headmaster's office lit up with Cornelius Fudge informing Dumbledore ( _not asking, but informing_ ) that he and some other individuals were coming through immediately.

"But Cornelius," Dumbledore began, "I am having a very important meeting which I cannot stop to give you advice or whatever…."

"I am not coming here to 'get advice' and it is your meeting that I am coming to attend so YOU WILL LET ME AND THE OTHERS THROUGH IMMEDIATELY OR I WILL HAVE YOU ARRESTED," the normally whinny and cowardly Minister announced.

As all of the staff (except for Snape) was in his office and Fudge was showing an unusual forcefulness, Dumbledore sighed but had no alternative to open his floo to let Fudge through. Unknown to him, the floo in the infirmary was also flaring up at the same moment allowing Amelia Bones and her Aurors as well as a very nervous Arthur Weasley to step through.

The healer accompanying the party bypassed Madame Pomfrey and went immediately to the ward to find and exam the three students lying in that part of the infirmary which served as a makeshift morgue. Madame Bones informed the matron that she was not to contact anyone, especially the Headmaster, until further notice as this was now a murder investigation. She refused to listen to the medi-witch's protests and threatened to arrest her if she didn't step aside and leave them to their investigations.

The special investigation Aurors headed towards the dungeons via the great hall. They were heavily shielded to conduct their work.

Madame Bones ordered Madame Pomfrey to call for a house elf to lead and give them access into Gryffindor House. When the elf popped in, he dutifully started to lead Bones, two Aurors and Arthur Weasley to Gryffindor House when the Ministry healer beckoned the small party, including the elf, over to the beds where the three dead students lay.

"I thought you might want to observe the students, especially Mr. Weasley," the healer said.

The three Aurors looked at the dead and although harden to the sight of death due to their occupation, they still fought back their revulsion. Poor Arthur Weasley, despite witnessing death in the last war, was still unprepared to view such a sight. Much to his embarrassment, he vomited up his lunch.

In the Gryffindor common room everybody was talking about the prank. Nobody knew about the deaths yet, but the stench and the mayhem which followed convinced everybody that was the reason everyone (except the Slytherins, snicker, snicker, snicker) had been confined to their common rooms.

Naturally the Twins were being interrogated by several people but they were not revealing anything just giving their opinions of what happened. No doubt Jamie Potter would have been the first to be questioned but for some reason he had not returned. Ron wasn't too worried as no doubt the reason Jamie hadn't been in the last class and was not here now was because he was talking to Dumbledore and using his influence to get them all out of trouble.

Usually Ron would be doing most of the talking describing the prank to the assembled group in the common room while Jamie sat there being congratulated and admired for his ingenuity (he never really gave the Twins the real credit they were due). Ron wasn't saying anything nor was he being asked as Jamie wasn't here so he had to watch what he said. Indeed, he needed to know the excuse Jamie gave to Dumbledore and how they were supposed to proceed before Ron gave the usual "press conference" to Jamie's adoring fans.

So there was Ron hiding out in his dorm room reading a Quidditch magazine awaiting Jamie's return when the door to the room opened and in walked some Aurors, his father, a very confused Percy and the very anxious Twins.

"Ron," his father began, "apparently something…disturbing has happened and Madame Bones would like to ask you a few questions. She has also asked for and I have given my permission to administer Veritaserum to you."

That statement got Ron's attention. Now Ron was not the brightest candle in the candelabra but during periods of stress he could actually think and think fast, so he said the only thing he could think of to delay matters until Jamie came back to tell him what to say.

"Well," he began slowly, "I don't know what you want to ask me about the stench as I really don't know anything," he smoothly lied. "Why don't you ask Jamie as he usually knows what is going on."

"Why do you think I want to ask you about the stench problem?" inquired Bones.

"Well that is what everybody is talking about," Ron replied looking as innocent as possible. Not that it did him any good as Ronald Bilius Weasley did not have the talent to look innocent even when he was, which was rarely. "Like I said, you better ask Jamie what is going on as I don't know." Ron then tried to go back to reading his magazine only to have his father snatch it out of his hand.

"Ronald, YOU will answer Madame Bones' questions and you will be administered Veritaserum as this is a serious situation," his father told him.

Ronald started to whine when an Auror grabbed him by his chin and quickly put three drops of the infamous potion down his throat.

At first Ron didn't know what hit him and then he just felt…weird. As soon as his eyes became glassy, Madame Bones started asking her questions. Within ten minutes he had told everything concerning the prank as well as a few other questions which Madame Bones decided to ask him.

She knew this would probably be the only chance she got to ask these questions and although they didn't have anything to do with the current matter, if asked, she would rationalize to anyone _questioning her_ that the questions were asked in regard to other happenings in the school, such as the reasons and beginnings of the very serious pranking war which had hit the school since Jamie Potter had arrived.

She had just finished her questioning and while the antidote was being administered to Ron she was debating whether it would be of any use to question the Twins when one of the Aurors in charge of the investigation into the prank came running up the steps.

"Madame Bones," he said out of breath due to running, "we just found him – Jamie Potter. He's dead."


	7. Chapter 7 - Insane Sorrow

J K Rowling owns all the rights to the books and the amazing characters she created. I write only to satisfy my imagination and use my creativity and make no money from my writings.

Chapter 7 – Insane Sorrow

The World was in shock. James Sirius Potter, Jr., or "Jamie" the Boy-Who-Lived and who had saved them all, was dead.

He had not died valiantly as one would expect of the "Savior of the Wizarding World" to die. No, from all reliable sources and after a very thorough investigation by not only the British Ministry of Magic, the French Ministry of Magic, another investigation by the International Confederation of Wizards as well as a privately financed investigation by an independent firm of magical specialists ordered by the grieving parents and godfather/blood adopted father of the late child, it had finally and irrevocably been determined that the boy had died as a result of a prank gone very and tragically wrong.

But James Potter, Sr. and Sirius Black refused to believe their boy's death was by misadventure due to his own negligence. No it had to be something else which took their precious child's life. He was assassinated or murdered by either Death Eaters, professional killers hired by jealous and/or disgruntled wizards or more probably (at least in Sirius Black's opinion) by Snivellus Snape and/or Amelia Bones.

Lily Potter was so distraught that she had been admitted to St. Mungo's in a state of shock so deep that if she didn't recover soon, it was being suggested she be admitted to the Janus Thickey Ward for the incurable.

If anybody should be admitted to a sanatorium for the mentally or psychologically ill most people would suggest that both James and Sirius be incarcerated until such time, if ever, they accepted the enviable truth of Jamie's death.

However, they would not. Despite the overwhelming evidence, the results of all of the investigations, the testimony under Veritaserum witnessed by Arthur Weasley of his son Ronald on the day of the death and later the Weasley Twins, Percy Weasley, Amelia Bones, Arthur Weasley himself, the Aurors who had found the boy, the school medi-witch, assorted healers from the Auror Corps., St. Mungo's, an assortment of students from all houses, most of the teachers at Hogwarts, James Potter and Sirius Black would not accept the verdict.

As James Potter had averred several times, "A Potter pranks and pranks wonderfully well. He is not incompetent in his pranking and therefore would not be killed by MISADVENTURE as all of these so-called experts are trying to convince the world. Therefore, the only logical conclusion is that my boy…my heir…the best and most important thing in my life…was MURDERED and I will not rest until I find out who did it." Sirius Black agreed with him.

Hogwarts had been in locked down for two weeks while the investigations were carried on. No classes had been held and no one had been allowed to leave their House for any reason. Lesson assignments had been given out and it was up to the Prefects of the Houses to see that assignments were done and help was given by the older students to the younger students to complete the assignments.

The burial of the three Slytherins had been delayed and would continue to be so until the investigations were complete. The bodies had been placed in stasis as had the body of Jamie Potter. The parents and relatives of the three Slytherins had not been allowed to see their children despite the efforts of Lucius Malfoy as Fudge had been forbidden to allow it for some inexplicit reason given by the ICW concerning the possible tampering of the evidence.

Both James Potter and Sirius Black as the _presumed_ Lords of Noble and Ancient Houses had considerable influence in the Magical World due to their status. When they so choose to use it (instead of leaving Dumbledore to handling the responsibilities for them), they wielded a lot of power due to their lineage and wealth.

Since Jamie had been the heir of both wizards, his death was a serious business. He was the last official heir to those houses. Sirius was sterile and James had caught a nasty venerable disease a few years ago which had caused him to also become sterile.

Lily had suffered a serious miscarriage three years ago. Granted the pregnancy hadn't been planned as they had to concentrate on raising Jamie, but Lily had been delighted when she found out. She would be having a daughter, something which she always wanted, and she suffered a severe depression when she had lost the child at six months. She was physically injured due to having the miscarriage so late in the pregnancy as well as being depressed. It was taking her months to recover as according to the healers, she had also contracted a very bad and dangerous "mysterious" infection.

Thus she was both physically and emotionally unavailable to satisfy James' sexual needs so James, being James, started sneaking out with Sirius to have some less than savory adventures in the Muggle World. Although he had been cheating on Lily since their marriage, he was "addicted" (so he said) to sex and the "thrill of the chase" as well as needing new and exciting sex partners.

Also they had taken a "business trip" to Thailand so that Lily couldn't find out about the dalliances – not that James cared – but she had known for years what was going on for two reasons: she was still an intelligent woman and…Sirius always told her.

She was a Muggleborn married to a Pureblood and thus became his chattel upon her marriage. She could not divorce him but he could divorce her without a reason and depending upon his mood, she wouldn't receive alimony (as it was unknown in Magical Britain) or any other financial assistance and could be cast out of the Magical World with only the clothes on her back. If he really wanted to be mean (and she had no doubt he would), she could have her magic bound and sent off to her "muddy world" with no record of an education since her primary school. Her parents were dead and, thanks to James and Sirius, completely estranged from her only family, Petunia, her husband and nephew Dudley.

Apparently, Minerva McGonagall never mentioned this fact when she was urging Lily to marry James, but then McG never mentioned a lot of important things, such as law, the _real_ job opportunities (or lack of them) and the rights of Pureblood vs. Muggleborns. It she had told the truth, no (sane) Muggleborns would attend Hogwarts!

Sirius had heard about all of the specialties to be had in Thailand but had ignored the possible dangers. So both he and James had caught some nasty diseases (to add to the ones they already had) and James had become sterile as well as both he and Sirius catching other things which made them both seriously ill.

Naturally, they didn't reveal that to the public and definitely not to Lily but with the death of Jamie they knew that both the Potter and Black lines were doomed – UNLESS….

Thus, Dumbledore would have to "fix things" namely getting Harry back. Dumbles "owed them both" and if he wanted to use the Wizengamot votes of Potter and Black, as well as having access to their money, getting Harry back was the only logical thing to do.

Dumbledore knew this, but he had also known about the terms and conditions of the disinheritance ceremony. He would have to change a few laws, but it was for the Greater Good, as Magical Britain needed a hero, and Dumbles needed a pawn and martyr to destroy Tom.

But the respected wizard was in a lot of trouble not only for the deaths of the three Slytherins, but trying to bury the news (instead of them) and had Snape not alerted the proper people, Dumbles would have gotten away with it as he had already devised a plan to explain that the three had been expelled for _something_ and afraid to return home, fled into the Forbidden Forest and were dead. A search party had found them after they had apparently encountered a nundu. He had already announced it at the staff meeting, but that was before it was learned that Jamie Potter was dead.

The Aurors, Unspeakables, Fudge and all of the School Board, demanded to go over Hogwarts with a fine tooth comb. Dumbledore had objected but in this case was over-ruled if only to due to logic, something wizards rarely used. They found Fluffy and the traps and a few other "interesting things" and Ron and the Twins were being questioned concerning "pranks" and again were given Veritaserum. They sang like buzzards!

Now Albus Dumbledore really had a problem!


	8. Chapter 8 - Plan B

J K Rowling owns all the rights to the books and the amazing characters she created. I write only to satisfy my imagination and use my creativity and make no money from my writings.

Chapter 8 – Plan B

Somehow Dumbledore had survived the scandal of the Boy-Who-Lived's death. He had placed James and Sirius in St. Mungo's for "treatment" and hopefully after the regimen of potions and charms was through, they would be malleable enough for him to have them discharged.

Lily was recovering slowly but surely but he sensed she too would be much more susceptible to his manipulation. It was, after all, about time she was tamed as she had been the one to try to talk sense into James and Sirius and had attempted to raise Jamie much better than James. She had also been hesitant to disown Harry but had been overruled by James, Sirius and Dumbledore – who knew best and his decision was always final.

The only other good thing, if it could be called that, was no one, not even his staff, had noticed that the Stone was missing. Quirrell had disappeared in all of the confusion and Dumbledore had been too busy to notice until he was advised by Minerva that Quirrell had sent a resignation letter citing the illness of a relative living in the Orient which Quirrell, as his heir, had to see to. It had only been then that Dumbledore had quickly checked the chamber where the Stone was hidden in the Mirror of Erised to find the mirror was gone.

Albus had planned to tell his old friend and mentor that the Stone had been destroyed all the while keeping it for himself. He needed it to make gold for the Order as well as a few other things. From what he had managed to find out about the Stone, it only worked for its owner. Therefore, once Nicolas and Perenelle Flamel died, the current possessor would be considered the owner and Dumbledore could use the Stone not only for the gold but to guarantee his own immortality.

Now Voldemort possessed it so as soon as the Flamels died, he could regain a body and immeasurable wealth. He would have a body back and the gold needed to get back control and continue the war, but Dumbledore would not allow that to happen.

No, Dumbledore considered Jamie's death a setback. There was still the twin and who was to say that the twin had also not been affected by the events of Voldemort's first defeat. Why Albus Dumbledore of course!

Harry Potter had always been a backup and it had only been James' insistence that the boy be disowned so Jamie could be the heir of two Houses. If memory served him, Harry also had a small scar received the same night his brother defeated Voldemort. The boy had been doing very well in his classes and did it on his own.

Dumbledore did have to admit that power-wise and scholastically, Jamie had been a disappointment. James and Sirius had given the boy "lessons" in magic so that he would be much more advanced when he went off to Hogwarts, but then so did other Pureblood families.

Granted the "lessons" were mostly aimed towards pranking, but jinxes and hexes were easily learned magic as, unlike turning a match into a needle the first lesson in Transfiguration given to first years, causing someone (especially someone you didn't like) to trip, fall or his hair to turn purple was funny, very funny (unless you were the recipient) and everyone wanted to pull pranks.

In that type of magic Jamie excelled and Albus fondly remembered the boy pulling all sorts of hilarious pranks on his defenseless brother, lovingly taught, aided and abetted by James and Sirius. The three youngest Weasley boys had been added to Jamie's select circle of friends. Albus had had a hand in choosing Jamie's playmates.

Only the children from Light families were to be allowed access to the precious boy. If the family was faithful to Dumbledore, that was a plus, but not a prerequisite. By allowing access to the Boy-Who-Lived, Dumbledore was hoping to lead more Light families into _his sphere of influence_.

Although Dumbledore had considerable political power, he needed even more if HE was to defeat Voldemort. The Wizarding World was under the impression Voldemort was dead, killed by Jamie Potter. Only Dumbledore knew that Voldemort was only _temporarily_ defeated and would come back. Dumbledore didn't know how Tom Riddle had accomplished it, but only that he had.

Horace Slughorn had known. It had only been by accident but Dumbledore had found a link between Tom Riddle and his former potions professor. However, before he could approach Horace to find out what he had told Riddle, Horace had died. In Dumbledore's opinion he had died under rather mysterious circumstances just weeks before Voldemort's demise. It was said he had had a heart attack, but Albus had not believed it and before he could personally investigate further, Horace had been cremated and his ashes scattered to the winds.

Another thing which was known only to Albus Dumbledore was that to finally defeat Voldemort, Jamie Potter would have to die. Dumbledore had spent years trying to figure out why Jamie had not died since he had been hit with the killing curse. The curse had rebounded back to Voldemort and killed him, actually disintegrating his body. A killing curse never destroyed a body, it merely killed the person it hit but the body remained intact. Therefore, Voldemort had used some dark magic for his body to disintegrate and Jamie must have some immunity or be possessed of some magic unknown even to Dumbledore to have survived.

The only other thing which Dumbledore knew for certain was that Voldemort still existed in a wraith-like form. His latest research, coupled with some reports sent back to him by people he had hired for "special research" indicated that yes, Voldemort was alive. It might be due to some unknown magic which existed in Jamie Potter. Perhaps the boy had not only survived the killing curse but instead bounced it back to Voldemort and sucked his magic out of him thus destroying his body.

Due to whatever rites Voldemort had used in an attempt to become immortal had worked insofar as allowing him to still maintain a hold in the spiritual world and when, and if, he could acquire a new body, he would be "resurrected" and therefore live again.

Dumbledore knew that Voldemort would not be so foolish as to try to directly kill off Jamie Potter, but that would not stop him from trying another way to revenge himself on the boy. Having a minion kill the boy could work. At least that was what Dumbledore was planning on doing to Jamie once the trap Dumbledore had set to lure Voldemort out in the open worked, hence the enticement of the Philosopher's Stone being "hidden" in Hogwarts.

It had been Dumbledore's plan to pit Jamie against Voldemort once again but under controlled circumstances. Once the boy and Voldemort were in the room where the Mirror of Erised held the Stone, there would be a battle once again between the two wizards. Dumbledore would be in a secret room beside the room which held a viewing screen so that he could witness what would happen. If Jamie once again defeated Voldemort, Dumbledore could witness how. Perhaps this time, Voldemort would actually die.

If Dumbledore could ascertain with all certainty that yes, Voldemort was dead or, in the alternative, Voldemort could be captured either in bodily or wraith form, then Dumbledore could find out the how and whys of the immortality and then either finally kill the Dark Lord and/or imprison him permanently much like Merlin had been imprisoned. However, whereas Merlin had been imprisoned in a box-like magical barrier, he had been hidden in a cave and could have been rescued. Dumbledore, however, would imprison Voldemort in a box-like magical barrier and then drop the box into a volcano, guaranteeing that no rescue and resurrection could be done.

Once the "Voldemort problem" was finally taken care of, then Dumbledore could turn his attention to the "Jamie Potter problem" as he privately referred to it.

Although Dumbledore could find no obvious existence of anything special in the Potter boy, there had to be something which had caused his survival and the initial destruction of Voldemort. If Dumbledore couldn't find the cause than the only possible explanation was that the boy was possessed of some evil power which had yet to fully manifest itself. But eventually, sad to say, Dumbledore knew that someday it would, no doubt when the boy came into his magical inheritance and full power around the age of 17, and the only logical conclusion would be that the boy would be the next dark lord.

Dumbledore could not allow that to happen so after the test this first year and once the Voldemort problem was permanently solved, Dumbledore would have no alternative but to end the life of James Sirius Potter. Unfortunately, for Dumbledore at least, the stupid boy got himself killed and in the confusion Voldemort had escaped with the Philosopher's Stone.

Another problem was that the boy was supposed to inherit the Potter estate which had been denied to his father. Dumbledore did admit to himself that he might be a little guilty as he let James get away with EVERYTHING short of murder because he was carefully cultivating the foolish boy.

Once James inherited the lordship he would give Dumbledore his proxy vote, contribute lavishly to the Order and Hogwarts (c/o Albus Dumbledore) and just continue to live his life as he had at Hogwarts: pranking, chasing witches, torturing Slytherins and depending on Dumbledore to get him out of trouble when he and Black went too far.

James would have blown through the wealth before any heirs of his had the chance to inherit and most of it would have made its way into the hands of Albus Dumbledore for much better uses than racing brooms, seducing witches, pranking and whatever other stupid things James would dream up to waste the money on.

That would have happened but Charlus realized it also and had taken preventive measures to keep the Potter fortune in the hands of its rightful and WORTHY heirs. It had been Charlus who insisted that James marry within six months after graduation and to produce an heir within another six months or his allowance would be withdrawn.

James didn't want to marry for a long, long, long time, if ever, but since he had purposely chosen to be an Auror, the most dangerous occupation especially during a war, and completely against his father's wishes, he didn't have any choice as James could just not live on an Auror trainee's salary and his father was threatening to divorce his mother, marry a young fertile witch and produce another heir or two, or three, and then completely disown James.

So he had married a Mudblood just to spite his father and mother, although it had been Dumbledore's idea. James did like Lily Evans, even loved her as far as he was able to love any woman, but he didn't want to marry her. No he and Sirius had decided to be confirmed bachelors and the ultimate playboys and to hell with providing heirs or continuing lines.

So his children had been conceived and Charlus had provided the trust vaults as soon as he found out Lily was pregnant. He and his wife had "tragically died" shortly after the pregnancy was announced. But unknown to Dumbledore and James, Charlus had also made other ironclad arrangements, such as disinheriting James from the lordship and putting him on a permanent allowance and forcing James to swear an oath not to reveal the contents of his Will. If James refused, he would simply not get his allowance or have access to any Potter properties. Indeed, should both of the children die, James would lose EVERYTHING.

Only James knew what the Will entailed and he couldn't tell Dumbledore anything except reveal information concerning his disinheritance, loss of the lordship and his great anger against his father.

But twin boys had been born and Jamie had defeated the Dark Lord. Once the boy became of age, took the Potter Family test and "proved worthy" (and how could he not since he was the Boy-Who-Lived) he would become Lord Potter and inherit all that wealth. Naturally he would donate a lot of it to the Order of the Phoenix and Hogwarts and when he eventually died, his needed sacrifice would serve to finance more worthy enterprises like the Order, Hogwarts and anything else Dumbledore planned.

But now he was dead, long before his time and the other boy had been disinherited and was now officially, legally and morally a Bones. James had used the most complete and final ceremony of disinheritance that was possible in the Magical World – or at least Magical Britain – to get rid of Harry, but now the boy would have to be "adopted" back into the Potter Family if Dumbledore was to ever get at the Potter wealth.

Since "officially" Harry was considered dead due to the disinheritance ritual used and since the other boy was definitely dead, James had lost his allowance and access to all Potter properties. Most of his 25,000 galleon allowance was given over to Dumbledore to finance the Order. James only worked part-time as an Auror and even though they made a lot of money through endorsements, presents and Lily's writing, they spent it as fast as it came in.

James was living with Sirius and Lily was confined to St. Mungo's. What ready cash James had access to had been spent in all the private investigations he had ordered and for Lily's hospital bills. He had stopped working part-time to devote himself to finding "Jamie's killer" as had Sirius, but now James was living off of Sirius.

It was doubtful that James would be getting a full-time Auror position due to his indifference to his job in the past ten years as well as the "mental problems" he was having concerning the death of his son. If Lily recovered, she could come back to her job teaching at Hogwarts, but according to the Healers, her prognosis was not good.

Dumbledore had to make a decision. He could make James a full-time teacher, most likely teaching Defense. An Auror was filling in for Quirrell but on a temporary basis. But that position was cursed so if James did take it next year, it would only be for a year. Then what would happen?

Although _James_ _had disowned Harry_ , the P _otter Clan did not as only the real Lord Potter could do that_ and currently that position was in limbo until the heir reached the age of 17 and was found "worthy" to receive as per the terms of Charlus' Will. Only James, Sirius and Dumbledore knew this fact and James and Sirius had only inferred they were the current, legitimate lords. Harry could still attempt to claim the estate when he became of age. James couldn't "adopt Harry due to the ritual he used to disown him but Sirius could adopt him as his heir.

When his brother than father had died he was the only male left in the Black line. If only to infuriate his mother, he restored his cousin Andromeda, who had been disowned for marrying a Muggleborn, back into the family. He even gifted her with the dowry she had been denied. He then disowned his cousin Bellatrix, a convicted Death Eater currently serving a life sentence in Azkaban, but first he had dissolved her marriage to Rudolphus Lestrange and took back her dowry.

He had also threatened his dear cousin Narcissa wife of Lucius and mother to Draco with the same thing except under law it would make Draco illegitimate and as a bastard he would belong to the Head of House of his mother's family. Lucius would lose his heir and the only way to get him back would be to remarry Narcissa and/or blood adopt his own son. However, a blood adoption could not be done unless the Head of House allowed it and naturally, Sirius would not.

Sirius, egged on by James, used this threat to keep the Malfoys not only "behaving themselves" but "behaving themselves as per Sirius' instructions" or in other words as Sirius never ceased to say, "Do one thing, _just one thing_ I don't like and there goes the Malfoy line."

Dumbledore had been delighted when Sirius and James had come up with this idea because although Sirius considered himself his own man, he was just as much Dumbledore's lackey as James was. Thus Malfoy had to watch himself and there had been too many times in the past ten years when he had to grovel before Dumbledore and adhere to his policies and whims or else Sirius would carry out his threat.

Dumbledore, Sirius and James had been greatly amused and considered it a wonderful prank. Dumbledore knew better because the likes of Lucius Malfoy would only take so much for so long before he cut his losses.

There were rumors going about that since Sirius had publically made Jamie Potter his heir that Lucius was looking for a way to rid himself of Narcissa, remarry and get a new heir or two. The only thing which had stopped him so far was the fact that he did actually love his wife and their son. There were several potential candidates rumored to be catching Lucius' eye and it would only take just one more insult or "whim" of Dumbledore or Sirius before Lucius acted on it.

There was nothing but his familial affection preventing Lucius from getting a divorce. Narcissa's dowry would be returned, but Lucius would still be able to keep Draco as his heir, remarry and produce additional heirs. Rumor also had it that once the new Black heir, namely Jamie Potter, arrived at Hogwarts, Lucius had contacted his solicitors regarding a private matter.

Although Sirius had re-instated the Tonkses, legally he made them members of _his personal family_. Fortunately, he was able to acquire access to Andromeda's dowry fund as she had never been _officially disowned by Lord Arcturus Black_ , who had funded the dowries of all three Black sisters as their father had made very bad investments and lost much of his wealth so was unable to offer "acceptable dowries for a Black heiress" and to save Cygnus Black from embarrassment and shame it was never announced that Arcturus had set up the dowries. As Arcturus personally hadn't disowned her

it was there for the claiming. In other words, she had always had a dowry but nobody told her out of spite! Dora didn't have a dowry fund (except for what her parents were contributing to) so Sirius promised to give her a dowry when she married – as long as she married someone of his choosing.

He had publically announced that Bellatrix was now divorced and then disowned her, again it was _from his family_ – you know the one he really didn't have, especially since Jamie's death. The dowry remained in the dowry vault and with the public announcement people thought everything he had accomplished was totally legal since _he was The Lord Black_. All those announcements were really just hot air, but Dumbledore had suggested it as "People will believe anything especially if it doesn't directly concern them and thus no one will investigate it for veracity."

Even if Harry was Amelia Bones' "son" Sirius could blood adopt him, make him his heir and still let Bones keep Harry as "her son" but Sirius would be allowed and could demand that Harry spend time with him. Then Dumbledore could get a better access to the boy and slowly but surely get him under his control.

He just had to have the Potter fortune to accomplish all of the goals he had. He would settle for the Black wealth because despite Sirius' carefree attitude, he was still enough of a Black to carefully spend his money. He used it to control the few members of his family as well as to gain allies.

Before Draco went to Hogwarts he had been carefully advised by his parents to keep his head down and his mouth shut and to avoid Jamie Potter at all costs. The boy learned early about the tyranny of Cousin Sirius and all that was at stake. However, thanks to Dumbledore, Gryffindor and Slytherin shared most of their classes with each other and between Jamie and Ron Weasley's taunts and insults it was only a matter of time before trouble started.

So far Draco had behaved admirably using great restraint, but that had only fueled Jamie and Ron to step up their efforts to intimidate, taunt and drive Draco to "start something" and he would not win as Dumbledore let Jamie and Ron get away with anything short of murder just like he had done with the Marauders.

Rumor also had it that Draco had gone home for the winter holidays in such a state of stress that Lucius had already secretly started divorce proceedings and it was expected to be an accomplished fact before the school let out for the spring holidays.

Naturally Dumbledore had informed Sirius of the plan and he was about to outmaneuver Lucius and pronounce his own divorce decree on his cousin but the very next day had been the day of Jamie's death and Sirius completely forgot about it.

Now Sirius could do one of two things. He could name Nymphadora Tonks' first male heir as his heir (the Blacks were a patriarchal house so only a male could hold the title) if and when such a child was born or as the only blood-related male, Draco Malfoy would be named the heir. Would Lucius risk stopping the proceedings in the hopes that his son was named the heir or would he just continue so that he could retain his son as his own?

But urged on by the hysterical James, Sirius had done neither. Instead he tried to have Lucius and Narcissa arrested and questioned (and hopefully) caught as being the culprits who had arranged for the murder of Jamie Potter.

They had been saved from that fate by Snape warning them and both had called a press conference and swore on their life and magic that neither of them had anything to do with the death of Jamie Potter and that as far as they knew the boy had died due to his own carelessness. Since this was a sworn oath done in the presence of the public they could not be arrested due to the wild accusations of Lord Black and _**Mr.**_ Potter.

James had managed to hide the fact that he had been passed over as Lord Potter and also the fact that Jamie would have to prove worthy if he wanted to claim the title but now Lucius "let that information slip" during the press conference. Lucius then announced that he and Narcissa were now divorced and he told the press and those present the reason why he had had to divorce his beloved wife.

The press ate it up. It showed Sirius Black in a very unflattering light and rightly so. He destroyed his cousin's happiness and threatened the inheritance of her son just for his and James' own amusement. The "story" was picked up by many foreign newspapers so Narcissa had her revenge on her cousin.

By rights she should have had to live with him under his "protection" as he still controlled her dowry so unless he gave her leave to her money – the money her parents had settled on her – she would have nothing. However, Lucius had provided an income for his beloved wife and she went to live on one of the Malfoy properties in France.

One week after the press conference and the very public divorce Lucius quietly married Celeste DuBois, a young Pureblood heiress of impeccable lineage with a respectable dowry. By the time the Hogwarts term had ended, Celeste was pregnant.

Draco spent his summer holidays with his mother in France, not because Lucius didn't want his son but because of Celeste's delicate condition and all the hurt, humiliation and pain Draco had to endure during his first year. All the Malfoys needed to recover.

Many were calling the death of Jamie Potter well deserved karma. Although he had been lauded his entire life, praised for everything he did, including breathing, he was not really liked by his peers and most of Hogwarts. Only a few fan girls from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw and the Gryffindors "adored him" at least publically and then only until they got to "know him" for the person that he was.

Although he would never admit it to anyone at school, Oliver Wood was happy that the brat was no longer ruining Gryffindor's Quidditch team. Other than the Weasley Twins who were part of his "honor guard" the rest of the team despised Jamie as did at least half the house, but none would dare admit it while they were at Hogwarts. Once they went home it was a different matter.

Other than James, Sirius and Lily and an annoyed but scheming Dumbledore, Ron Weasley suffered the most. His whole life was based on being the best mate of Jamie Potter. He had profited greatly especially after the "Squib" had been disowned and then he only had to share Jamie with his brothers, but at least he was "the best mate" and not them.

With Jamie he had a bit of fame, received clothing, brooms, got to attend posh events and be seen with Jamie but without him he was a nonentity. He had been too shocked to comprehend the death and it had taken him several days and a stay in the Infirmary to recover. Then he was lost and alone and no one cared.

With Jamie he had pranked and bullied and got away with it due to Dumbledore. He had not tried to make any friends at school because he had Jamie and didn't need any others. Since he never attempted to be nice to anyone, even his roommates, he now had no one.

He skipped classes and didn't do his homework because Percy had stopped helping him because now Jamie was gone. Besides it was Percy's OWLs year and he started cramming in earnest to get good marks. It wasn't until the snapped him out of his stupor and forced him to go to classes and do his own homework that he realized just what a mess he was in.

Thanks to his mother's lackadaisical style of home schooling, Ron had never applied himself and he learned just enough to get by. He really didn't know how to study or write a decent essay as Percy had always "helped him" since he had been assigned to "help" Jamie.

Dumbledore did take pity on the boy after the Twins brought Ron's problems to his attention. He ordered McGonagall, Flitwick and Sprout to coach the boy and Ron managed to squeak through his exams in those subjects but not the others as Sinistra didn't have the time or inclination and Snape was - well Snape - and Binns was a ghost.

But Dumbledore would only "assist Ron" for the first year. Starting second year he was on his own. Dumbledore had no need of the Weasleys anymore other than as faithful followers. No the Weasleys would be a liability if his new plans succeeded.

There was no other choice but for James and Lily Potter to get Harry back. Despite James' disownment of his son, the blood of the Potters ran in the boy's veins and he would have to become James' son once more so that Dumbledore could control him.

Therefore Dumbledore had written some new laws and was going to have them passed. Dumbledore introduced the Emergency End of Line bill which would basically invalidate Harry's disinheritance due to the fact that he was now the last of the Potter line due to Jamie's death and the "accident" which James Potter had rendering him sterile and unable to father another heir.

He expected all the Purebloods, who usually only had one heir due to their inbreeding and other problems, would be in agreement with this law as it had several attachments added onto it which made it possible to also disinherit a heir for many reasons, such as weak magic, no magic, sterility, insanity or just plain disappointment in their heir.

The way the bill was worded it also gave the husband an excuse to divorce a wife and remarry to acquire a better heir or just to get rid of a wife and marry a younger, prettier wife. The "old wife" could be divorced and her dowry wouldn't have to be returned due to her "unacceptability" so that should win over many husbands looking for a way out while keeping the dowry. Dumbledore wanted it to be a win-win situation to guarantee its passage.

Basically these new laws would allow James to blood adopt his former son as well as Sirius blood adopting Harry as his heir. Amelia Bones would have no legal recourse and as per the terms and conditions of the law, she would be forced to turn over her son or face dire consequences.

If nothing else, Dumbledore was not adverse from arranging an accident if Bones proved difficult. A few well-placed threats and not only would Amelia's life be in danger but also her well-loved niece as Dumbledore had arranged a few more dirty tricks up his flamboyant, tasteless sleeves.

No Dumbledore would get back Harry for James and Sirius and they would have yet another reason to be grateful to the wily wizard.

However, much to his surprise, the bill was not received with all the enthusiasm he had anticipated. No, it seemed that Amelia Bones and her allies as well as the Malfoys had joined forces to thwart Dumbledore's schemes. Amelia because she loved Hal and Hal definitely did not want to become a Potter or have anything at all to do with James, Lily, Sirius and especially Dumbledore.

The Malfoys wanted revenge against Sirius and his abuse of power and, hopefully, perhaps he would be forced to make Draco his heir after all.


	9. Chapter 9 - The Hearing

J K Rowling owns all the rights to the books and the amazing characters she created. I write only to satisfy my imagination and use my creativity and make no money from my writings.

Chapter 9 – The Hearing

It had taken most of the summer and a lot of fighting, political maneuvering, underhanded manipulations, shameless slandering and plain old dirty fighting, but eventually and by only TWO VOTES (which were bought and paid for by Sirius) the bill passed and became law.

The press had had a wonderful summer not only because of the political in-fighting but all of gossip and scandal which had been brought out into the open, namely the original disinheritance of Harry Potter. Sirius' sterility had also been leaked and James' disinheritance had been more thoroughly investigated since Lucius' slip.

While all of this was going on, Amelia had been making arrangements for Hal and Susan to leave Britain and be out of the reach of Dumbledore. It was all Dumbledore's fault. She blamed him for all the deaths in the first war, all the heartbreak given to Hal and others, all the insults, ruined families and many, many other things which Sirius and James had been guilty of doing starting in their school years, throughout the war and continuing over during the heady days of the Boy-Who-Lived cult.

Yes it was all Dumbledore's fault and now, due to the foolishness of a very spoiled and now very dead boy, Dumbledore wouldn't think twice about disrupting lives, ruining families and all for his version of the "Greater Good." Strange, he had quoted that saying so often yet never ever had he explained it. What was the Greater Good and just exactly who or what did it benefit?

They had fought a good fight and had "lost" much better than they ever expected. She still had the Malfoys as allies as well as new allies, most of whom were sworn enemies of Dumbledore, Sirius and James Potter.

As soon as the law was passed, in fact the very day it was enacted into law, both James Potter and Sirius Black made their "claim" and demanded that the boy currently known as Henry Edgar Bones be delivered over to their custody so that he could be blood adopted by them both to continue the lines of Potter and Black.

Amelia and allies were ready for this. The very day before Hal and Susan had left the country with a trusted ally of House Bones and it was only her and certain Goblins, all of whom had given their most sacred oath, knew where the children had gone. Even Amelia didn't know and would not know unless it was safe for her to find out. She could and would swear on her life and magic that this was true and although it had hurt her greatly for her children to be taken from her all that matter was that they were safe and kept away from James, Sirius and DUMBLEDORE!

James stood before the Wizengamot and stated his demands and then Sirius did the same. They spouted forth a speech which Dumbledore had written for them stating their wants, needs, etc. and that this new law guaranteed them their rights to take custody of and blood adopt Harry James Potter, a/k/a Henry Edgar Bones. When they finished their spiel, both of them smirked and awaited Dumbledore to grant them their request.

"All in favor of granting the request of James Charlus Potter and Sirius Orion Black," a smiling Dumbledore asked.

"One moment it you will," said Lucius Malfoy. "You haven't given Amelia Susan Bones the chance to refuse these…

"That's because Bones has NO RIGHTS WHATSOEVER IN THIS MATTER," spat out Sirius. "So shut up and sit down _**Lucy**_."

"Lord Black is correct Lord…Malfoy," Dumbledore said smiling. For one short moment some people thought that given the pause between Lord and Malfoy that the elder wizard was going to insult Malfoy and call him Lucy, but apparently Dumbledore was merely toying with one of the wizards he had already defeated so completely.

"Actually, I don't have to ask for the approval of my esteemed colleagues as due to the passage of this noble and much needed law, they have every right to welcome back dear Harry into their familial bosom. Therefore, I grant…."

"Oh but it can be denied and must be denied," countered Lucius, "considering that it would be a death sentence for the boy."

Both Sirius and James started shouting their displeasure by use of rather foul obscenities until Dumbledore called for order.

"That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard Lord Lucy…Malfoy," snarled Dumbledore obvious in his insult. "Explain yourself and the reason for this slander before I cite you with contempt."

Smiling _Lucy_ faced the court and began his explanation. "By your own law…the one you personally wrote and saw the passage of not less than a half hour ago, for **Lord** Black and _**Mr.**_ James Potter," he said emphasizing the titles, "to adopt their former godson and former son, which both wizards (he would not give them the courtesy of calling them gentlemen) shamelessly and without thought to the boy's emotional or mental health, without hesitation used the full and complete force of the law to completely and forever disinherit one Harry James Potter as heir Potter and godson in favor of making the second born son and godson the Potter heir and the Black heir."

"This action was done on 31 July 1986*on the boy's seventh birthday. He was irrevocably disinherited, was stripped of all his rights, legal inheritances, and even his clothing and then cast out of House Potter naked and with no name other than Harry No Name. He was not even allowed to retain his middle name as _**Mr.**_ James Potter wanted him completely and utterly disowned."

"Then mere moments after this was done the late James Sirius Potter, a/k/a Jamie Potter, was made the official, as well as only heir, to House Potter in a private and secretive ceremony. One hour later the aforementioned James Sirius Potter was very publically and legally made heir to the House of Black and then…."

"WHAT THE *FUCK DOES ANY OF THIS HAVE TO DO WITH OUR RIGHTS NOW _ **LUCY**_?" Sirius yelled, "Quit wasting our time and shut the fuck up. We're getting Harry and Draco is and will never be Lord Black you f…."

"Lord Black is correct _**Mr.**_ Malfoy," said Dumbledore using Mr. instead of Lord as he was growing weary of all this shilly-shallying. Sirius was having a huge party in celebration of getting Harry back and Dumbledore wanted to take part in the festivities and enjoy the no doubt excellent food and drink and here stood a very sore loser wasting his time. It was time to end this nonsense.

"Lord Black and Lord Potter are in their right and I hereby grant…"

"Lord Black and Mr. Potter are ineligible to get custody of Henry Edgar Bones by blood adoption as such action would kill the boy," shouted a voice from the gallery.

"WILL YOU ALL JUST SHUT THE BLOODY FUCK UP AND LET US GET OUR BOY BACK," Sirius screamed out.

Dumbledore was about to quickly announce the decision but suddenly he could speak. Apparently somebody had DARED to silence Albus Dumbledore.

A Goblin, well actually THE GOBLIN, Lord Ragnok President of Gringotts Britain walked in accompanied by six Goblin warriors armed to the teeth. Had Dumbledore been able to speak he would have had them thrown out so Sirius did it for him and, although he had no authority whatsoever to do so, he ordered the Aurors to "thrown the ugly brutes out of chambers and the Ministry" which was not his first, but just another error he had made since walking (or rather strutting) into the Wizengamot chambers. Fortunately none of the Aurors made a move to do anything other than watch the entertainment continue.

Ragnok very politely (for a Goblin at least) addressed the Wizengamot. "Neither James Potter or Sirius Black may blood adopt the child as it would kill him. Although it has been hidden from the public, it has been documented by several reputable sources that James Potter and Sirius Black have contracted some very vile and incurable Muggle diseases from their shameful and careless sexual dalliances over the past years and have acquired diseases of Chlamydia, Crabs, Scabies, Gonorrhea, Hepatitis B, Herpes, Syphilis and the newest and most deadly and completely untreatable disease known as Human immunodeficiency virus infection/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome a/k/a HIV/AIDS."

"So what, we've been taking potions," James added weakly.

"Which have no effect on any of them as at the moment HIV/AIDS is a death sentence. If the glamours you are wearing were removed, your ill health would be exposed. If either of you are still alive two years from now I would be surprised."

Dumbledore froze as even he didn't know about this. He knew they had picked up "something" due to their cavorting but didn't know the scope and depth of the matter. This was fantastic news as they would die leaving him with full custody of Harry and total access to all of the wealth and power of the Potter and Black Houses. But Ragnok was not finished.

"These diseases are in the blood and were you given leave to 'blood adopt' Henry Edgar Bones, your blood would give the boy all of your diseases and due to his youth he would die sooner than you do."

The chamber was deadly silent and you could hear the proverbial pin drop until Sirius shouted out, "You're lying. Goblins always lie and take bribes from the likes of Malfoy scum."

Rumbles of shock and fear started as Sirius continued with insults and rants finishing with him reiterating that he was Lord Black and had all of these rights UNTIL a voice was heard.

"Sirius Orion Black you miserable little bastard, your father Orion might be dead but he was never Lord because I'm still alive."

All eyes turned towards the voices and had they not they would have noticed that Sirius and even James had gone deathly pale because an old man stood tall and straight and was glaring at Sirius. He paused for effect before walking to the center of the chambers and introduced himself.

He was Arcturus Lord Black and had been ever since his father Sirius II died in 1952. Arcturus' only son and the father of Sirius III, Orion had died in 1979 as had his other son Regulus. Sirius knew very well that Arcturus was still alive but that he had just retired from the world when Orion died. He had never given any of his power over to anybody especially Sirius as although Sirius had bragged that only his mother but not his father had disowned him his grandfather had.

"Seems Sirius has been telling everyone that he is Lord Black and has allowed Dumbledore to use the Black vote for his own purposes. Well guess what kiddies," Arcturus cackled "Any bill passed using that vote is null and void – especially the latest excuse of Dumbledore's to gain power and ruin a few more lives in his quest for power. Also, it is a well-kept secret, again thanks to Dumbleshit's manipulations, James Potter was disowned by Charlus in favor of the twins which James' wife was expecting when Charlus was killed. That is another vote illegally used by Dumbledirt."

More rumblings broke out as Arcturus continued. "Also according to financial records Lord Alston and Lord Richman will not be getting paid for the sale of their votes to Sirius because I have put a freeze on his accounts. As Lord of his House I can and have done this."

"But Sirius has to be Lord Black and he is very, very wealthy, lives in Black Manor and…." Lord Alston stuttered out.

"You idiot! Haven't you been listening – Sirius isn't and never will be Lord Black because I am still alive and I have barred him from ever inheriting the Lordship and the rest of our loot. He has money because his Uncle Alphard left him his fortune and Walburga left him her fortune and the money she inherited from Orion as well as Regulus' personal wealth. That's the money he has been frittering away since Walburga's death in 1985. He lives in one of the houses of House Black, Grimmauld Place where his parents lived. I live in the main Black home and the several others belong to me or other members of our family."

"However since I never disowned him – only disinherited from the Lordship – he is still a Black and UNDER MY CONTROL AND AUTHORITY. I have frozen all of his assets, which as you all know the Lord of the House can do, and they will stay frozen until I say so or he dies, which as Ragnok mentioned should be fairly soon."

"Therefore, due to the bribes taken by Alston and Richman and the illegal use of the Black and Potter votes, this ridiculous law which Dumbledick has rushed through for his own agenda should – and will if that old %*#%&*#*& knows what's good for him – be overturned."

Arcturus was not finished because he added, "Also, in case no one noticed – and apparently you haven't for some strange reason – perhaps by a spell or two – due to her personal involvement in the matter Amelia Bones was forbidden from casting the Bones vote but Sirius and James, who have 'double' the personal involvement in the matter were allowed to use the Potter and Black votes, albeit illegally, because they had given it over to Dumbledore."

"Now if Dumbledore had any shred of decency in him, which apparently he doesn't, never had and never will, he should have either recused himself from using those proxy votes or just plain recused himself as chief judge and from using the votes as that has been a law in this august body for CENTURIES and is still on the books. But he didn't and he has just as much if not more of a vested interest in this case as James and Sirius."

So the still silenced Dumbledore was recused under duress and James and Sirius were bound and forcibly removed from chambers because James and tried to do a no-no. He tried to cast a hex on Arcturus' back but fortunately was caught, relieved of his wand as was Sirius and they would be spending time in a Ministry cell until their trial began.

The three wizards couldn't believe what had just happened but they were still confident that Dumbledore would get all of them of out this mess.


	10. Chapter 10 - Aftermath

J K Rowling owns all the rights to the books and the amazing characters she created. I write only to satisfy my imagination and use my creativity and make no money from my writings.

Chapter 10 – Aftermath

Within a week Dumbledore was relieved of his position as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and his position as Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards was being investigated. He would lose that position before the beginning of the new school year.

James and Sirius were tried for several things but when their glamours were removed their looks betrayed just how sick they were. Poor Lily had been infected by James and she was just as sick and due to the trauma she suffered from losing Jamie, the insane behavior of James and Sirius, being informed of the revelations by Arcturus in the Wizengamot and a general lack of the will to live, she died on August 31, 1992.

Because James had no money left and Sirius' accounts had been frozen they were in dire financial straits. Therefore since they were still technically Aurors they were sent to the prison ward at the Ministry to live out the rest of their lives. They too had deteriorated quickly due to the shock of losing Jamie who really had been their whole lives, the loss of their wealth and the revelations of their real status (or lack of thereof) and the shame of their diseases.

One of the crimes Sirius and to some extent James had been convicted of was knowing just how sick they really were, how very contagious and dangerous the diseases they had were and yet ignored it as they still considered themselves "invincible" and that nothing could really harm the "Golden Gryffindors/Marauders." So both, and especially Sirius, had continued their shagging and carousing without a second thought of the damage they were doing to anybody else.

An alert went out ordering anyone who had had sex with Sirius Black or James Potter in the last three years and/or anybody who had had sex with someone who had done the deed with either Marauder to present themselves for examination and whatever treatment could be given. Many people didn't want to admit even to themselves that they had sex with them or that they could possibly be so sick. However, within three months of the revelation, many people showed signs of being very sick or relatives had reported the strange death of a loved one.

James Potter and Sirius Black would indeed go down in history as starting a nearly unstoppable epidemic in Magical Britain. Within two years 57 witches and 33 wizards had died because of Sirius and James' indifference and selfishness. Another 124 were diagnosed with some if not all of the diseases and the Ministry had passed a law demanding that all potential employees had to be given a physical exam before being hired and all current employees had to be tested every six months. Other businesses soon followed the Ministry's example, voluntarily at first but then it became mandatory. St. Mungo's gave free exams and you could not graduate from Hogwarts unless you were examined by a certified healer from St. Mungo's.

Every person who was confirmed as having HIV/AIDS and the other non-curable diseases (like Herpes) had to take an oath on their life and magic not to have sex either at all or only with other incurables. Many couples who had married after being enjoyed by Sirius (who was much sicker than James) or anyone who had cheated on their spouses usually infected the innocent spouse. British wizards and witches rarely married outside of Britain but now no self-respecting non-British wizard or witch would even consider marrying a Brit.

James died first, on Valentines Day 1993. He had nothing left to live for having lost a wife, the living son and the dead one. He knew he would soon lose Sirius and had basically ended the House of Potter, had lost all of the Potter money, power, popularity, admiration and…the good name of the Potters. He was also in a lot of pain as many of the potions he and Sirius had been taken were pepper-ups because the usual potions had no effect on the diseases. Besides the glamours, they had done, shall we say, some…unconventional (okay, DARK) magic to increase their stamina and their magic as the diseases were affecting their power. Both were afraid they would become Squibs before dying and that was what James feared most.

Sirius watched him die, knowing (and wanting) that he would soon be joining James, Jamie and even Lily (who he never liked because "she had taken James from him"). He had never really believed in an afterlife, despite knowing that ghosts existed so there had to be some life after death. He had believed that he and James would live forever. Okay maybe not forever but for a very long time, living as they wanted to while staying healthy, magically powerful and…totally desirable. The world would always admire and respect them and they would prank to the day they died and crush their enemies.

That was one of the few regrets (other than catching the diseases and his impending death) that Sirius had. Both he and James had demanded that Dumbledore send Snivellus to Azkaban, despite the spying he did on the Order's behalf. They wanted him totally destroyed just because. Luckily for Snape, Dumbledore had need of him not only for his potion skills, but knowing that Voldemort would be back, he still needed to use Snape as a spy.

Sirius and James were slightly pacified when Dumbledore advised them "Snape will be alive and have to serve me to the ends of his days as he will teach potions, spy and carry out any agenda I give him. You will still be able to 'prank' him and he will suffer knowing that he lost Lily and the two of you 'won' and he 'lost' and always will."

He hadn't crushed the Malfoys and a few others who "hadn't shown him or James the proper respect due to them" but at least he had accomplished one goal. He had destroyed the House of Black as Arcturus had disinherited any child of Narcissa's body that was a Malfoy so that left only Dora Tonks, who was a Half-blood and thus even if she married another Pureblood, any son would still not be pure enough for the House of Black.

At least Dumbledore was ruined, which was now Sirius' only joy. He died March 17, 1993 rather annoyed that he couldn't "celebrate" St. Patrick's Day, one of the few Muggle things he liked because of all of the drinking and "mischief" he and James did. But he was glad to go and be with James again.

Dumbledore had also lost all. The ICW cast him out not only as the Supreme Mugwump but as the British representative. He had made many enemies in that august group and in Britain some of the things he had done during his long life came out in the open. Naturally, he lost the one position which concentrated his power – he was fired as Headmaster of Hogwarts.

He also lost the admiration of many people except for a few diehards such as the Weasleys and a few old friends like Daedalus Diggle, Elphias Doge, Arabella Figg and Hagrid.

The new Headmaster was from Germany as it was decided by the Board that there was no one in Britain capable of filling that very important position. As Deputy Head, Minerva McGonagall _should have succeeded_ but she was considered too much of a Dumbledore lackey to be a candidate. Many changes would be made, such as the return of the many courses which Dumbledore had considered "too dark" or irrelevant to be taught at HIS SCHOOL. Within three years most of those lost courses had been revived and by the time Hal and Susan Bones graduated, Hogwarts once again had acquired the sterling reputation for educational excellence it had enjoyed for centuries.

Severus Snape was finally able to accept a position which he had had to refuse for years due to Dumbledore's manipulation and Snape's virtual enslavement. He was now an Unspeakable and happy as the proverbial lark as his main task was inventing new potions and researching recently found potions lost for centuries.

As for Henry Edgar Bones, Arcturus made him the heir to the House of Black and Hal received the lordship when Arcturus died in 1994. The Goblins informed him that despite James disowning him, Harry was, and always had been, the Potter heir and on his 17th birthday he met the requirements set by Charlus and became Lord Potter.

Voldemort never returned. After all he was dead. But since the dark mark had never completely disappeared and actually had darken a few months after Jamie's death, his faithful followers knew he was back but (hopefully) decided not to resurrect his crusade. If only they knew the truth!

Snape never told Dumbledore that his mark had darkened not only out of spite but because he knew that somehow Dumbles would use it to get back his power and Snape couldn't allow that to happen. Britain was finally making decent strides in education, politics and life in general once the old coot was out of power. Snape and many others could finally have a life in a Dumbledore-free Britain and maybe even find happiness and/or contentment. Snape viewed it as his civic duty.

So what was Dumbledore doing and would Voldemort ever return? Well…that's a tale for another time.

THE END


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